Ravenea louvelii

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Habitat, Madagascar. Photo: Phil Arrowsmith
Ravenea (rah-VEN-eh-ah) louvelii (loo-VEL-ee-eye)
P1010201 Ravenea louvelii.JPG
Habitat, Madagascar. Photo: Phil Arrowsmith.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Ravenea (rah-VEN-eh-ah)
Species: louvelii (loo-VEL-ee-eye)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Africa
Africa.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Lakamarefo, Siraboto.


Habitat and Distribution

East Madagascar, only known from Andasibe. Moist forest, steep slope near crest; alt. 800- 1000 m.

Description

Short, stocky, palm of the forest undergrowth. litter-trapping habit, and persistent leaf bases. TRUNK 1.5-3 m high, 15-20 cm in diam. without leaf sheaths, about 50 cm with the sheath bases; distal 1.5 m of trunk with sheath remnants, proximal part only with sheath bases; wood hard; internodes about 3 cm. LEAVES 9-14 in the crown, robust, porrect, stiff, with up to 15 marcescent leaves present; sheath 46-60 x 6.5-8 cm, channelled adaxially, rounded abaxially, swollen at base, with dense soft pale brown tomentum, turning fibrous with age, with long stiff brown mar ginal fibres; petiole 50-130 cm long, proximally 3-5.5 x 2-3.5 cm across, distally 2-3 x 1.2-1.9 cm across, especially abaxially covered in rich brown scales, with very sharp margins, adaxially channelled with the central part flat or with central ridge, abaxially rounded; rachis 2.2-3 m long, in mid-leaf about 19 x 11 mm across, adaxially keeled with up to 9 mm wide flat keel top and abaxially flat, with sharp upper edges, especially abaxially covered in brown scales, continuing past the distal pair of leaflets for 10-21.5 cm; leaflets in one plane, slightly pendulous in distal part of leaflet, dark green, attenuate, 80-104 on each side of the rachis, the proximal ones 28-42 x 0.3-1 cm, median 47-67 x 1.4-2.6 cm (interval 1.5-2.5 cm), distal 10-40 x 0.4-1.8 cm, with some ramenta near the very base of the leaflet, or in young leaves with lines of red-brown scales; rachis bracts 4 x 1 mm; pedicels 0.5-2 mm, 2.5-4 mm across; bracteoles 1.5-4 x 1-2 mm, connate with the pedicel for 0.5-1 mm. PISTILLATE FLOWERS slightly musty-scented, cream-coloured; calyx connate for 0.6-1 mm, 2.8-5 mm across, the free lobes 0.8-2 x 2.6-3 mm; petals 6.5-9.5 x 1.7-2.2 mm, fleshy, 1.5 mm thick, connate by 1 mm through the fleshy base of the antesepalous filaments; staminodes 6, 2.8-3.2 x 1.6-1.7 mm; ovary ovoid, 3-3.8 x 3 mm. FRUIT dark purple (protologue says yellowish at maturity), somewhat depressed globose, 13-14 x 15-20 mm (25 mm according to Beccari), 1-2 seeded; stigmatic remains subapical or terminal. SEED ovoid, sometimes flat on 1 face, 9-13 x 6-9 mm; seed coat black, 0.2 mm thick. GERMINATION remote, eophyll pinnate. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995). Editing by edric.

Culture

Warm, sheltered, and moist.

Comments and Curiosities

This is one of the strangest Ravenea species, with an archaic appearance. The inflorescences are almost hidden among the leaf bases, and are probably beetle-pollinated. The species is named for M. Louvel, head of the Forestry Department at Analamazaotra in the 1920s.

Conservation: Endangered. Only known from a single site, where it grows outside the protected area. Population numbers are low; we have counted fewer than 25 trees with trunks, and rejuvenation seems minimal.

This is a tillering palm, it exhibits saxophone style root growth (it has a heel), keep top third of heel above soil elevation!

External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos, edric.

Special thanks to palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos, edric.


Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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