Chrysalidocarpus ankaizinensis

Dypsis (DIP-sis) sp. 'ankaizinensis' (ankez-eh-NEN-sis)
Hawaii.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Dypsis (DIP-sis) Species: sp. 'ankaizinensis' (ankez-eh-NEN-sis)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Africa
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Northern Madagascar - Africa

Mike Harris garden. Photo by Ryan D. Gallivan-Searle Brothers Nursery, FL.

Description

Dypsis ankaizinensis is a robust-growing, solitary-stemmed evergreen palm. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. This species has not been recorded from the wild since 1924 - however, the the range of this species has been poorly explored botanically and a detailed search in the area is likely to find specimens. Threats to it are unknown, but over-exploitation for the palm heart may be a problem if the population is very small. The plant is classified as 'Data Deficient' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone 10a

Comments and Curiosities

It is as edible use namely: Leaves - cooked. The apical bud, known as a 'palm heart', is eaten as a vegetable. A slightly bitter flavour. Eating this bud leads to the death of the plant because it is unable to make side-shoots. The plant (parts not specified but probably the bark and/or the fruits) is used in the treatment of headaches, jaundice and hepatitis; and also as an aid to lactation.