Dypsis elegans

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Dypsis (DIP-sis)
elegans (EHL-eh-ganz)
Dypsis-elegans-4.jpg
Madagascar. Photo by Dr. Mijoro Rakotoarinivo/Kew.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Dypsis (DIP-sis)
Species:
elegans (EHL-eh-ganz)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Africa
Africa.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary or tufted.
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Endemic to the southeast of Madagascar, where it occurs at two locations between Mahanoro and Taolagnaro.
Madagascar. Photo by Bill.
Recorded from 50 up to 400 m asl. Lowland rain forest, on well-drained rocky soil.

Description

Solitary or tufted palm. STEM(S) to 2 m tall, 1-2 cm in diam.; internodes 4-6 cm, green, with dense scales distally. LEAVES about 6 in the crown, pinnate, porrect and slightly arching; sheath 11-17 cm long, densely red-scaly, with sloping shoulders; petiole 9-14 cm long, 3-4 mm in diam., densely scaly; rachis 50-68 cm long, in mid-leaf 2-3 mm wide, densely red-scaly; leaflets 41-65 on each side of the rachis, in groups of 4-5, group interval 3-4.5 cm, leaflet interval about 5 mm, the proximal 3-5 x 0.1-0.3 cm, median 8-15 x 0.4-0.6 cm, distal 5-9 x 0.3-0.9 cm and connate for 0.5-1.5 cm, main vein 1 (in the distal pair 3-4), with some scales on midrib and especially on the margins but mainly glabrous, apices attenuate, in the distal pair dentate over a width of 2-4 mm. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, branched to 2 orders; peduncle 33-36 cm long, 1.5-2 mm in diam., densely scaly; prophyll 10-14 cm long, 3-5 mm wide, with scattered scales, open in the distal 2 cm; peduncular bract with its apex at 7-8 cm above the apex of the prophyll, open in the distal 2 cm, with scattered scales; rachis 10-14 cm long, with scattered scales, with 5-6 branched and 11- 12 unbranched first order branches, the most proximal of these with an axis of up to 2 cm and with up to 4 rachillae; rachillae 2.5-4.2 cm long, about 1 mm in diam., scaly, slightly recurved. STAMINATE FLOWERS yellow in bud, orange at anthesis; sepals 0.8-1 x 0.9-1.2 mm; petals 2- 2.1 x 1.1-1.2 mm; stamens 6, biseriate (offset 0.2-0.3 mm), filaments 0.8-1 mm and thin, anthers 1.3-1.4 x 0.5-0.6 mm, versatile; pistillode about 0.8 x 0.5 mm, columnar. PISTILLATE FLOWERS unknown. FRUIT unknown. (J. Dransfield & H. Beentje, The Palms of Madagascar. 1995)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Distinct in its leaves with groups of regularly spaced narrow leaflets, and the short rachillae. Relationships are vague (also because of the lack of pistillate and fruiting material) but possibly with D. concinna. Very similar to this is a collection from Mahanoro: lower Mangoro basin, alt. 300 m, Oct. 1927 (bud), Perrier 18049 (P); which has a shorter sheath (7-10 cm), shorter petiole (3-5 cm), shorter rachis (20-30 cm) with 28- 32 leaflets which are smaller (4-7 x 0.6-0.9 cm); the inflorescence is branched to one order with, again, all parts shorter (peduncle 16 cm, prophyll 5.7 cm, rachis 5.8 cm, rachillae nine in number, 4.5-6.5 cm long); despite all these differences, we believe it is the same taxon; but the material is not enough to be certain. This locality appeared without natural vegetation when HB visited the area in 1991. (J. Dransfield & H. Beentje, The Palms of Madagascar. 1995)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Culture

Comments and Curiosities

Conservation: Critical. HB has seen less than ten individuals in a forest which is being destroyed by fire and timber-cutting (1995). Rakotoarinivo, M. & Dransfield, J. 2012. Dypsis elegans. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012: Critically Endangered. Known from two locations at Mahanoro and Manombo and with an extent of occurrence of 1,340 km² and an area of occupancy of 27 km². The species would qualify for an Endangered listing under criterion B but based on the small population size of fewer than 15 individuals, it qualifies for listing as Critically Endangered. Threatened by loss of habitat due to expanding agriculture and logging activities.


External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

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

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

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).

J. Dransfield & H. Beentje, The Palms of Madagascar. 1995


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

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