Dypsis makirae
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| Dypsis (DIP-sis) makirae (mah-KEY-ray) | |||||||
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 In habitat Makira Protected Area Madagascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric. | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Endemic to Northeast Madagascar, known from several localities in the eastern central part of the Makira protected area. Primary rain forest, on steep slopes near ridge tops, alt. 600-900 m.
Description
Solitary palm. Stem 4-5 m high, about 6 cm in diam. Leaves 10-13 in the crown, spiral; sheath 14-16 cm, 1.8-2.2 cm in diam., closed, forming well-defined crownshaft, brown with dense red pubescence in the upper part, triangular auricles up to 8 mm; petiole 4-15 cm long, 3-6 mm wide, slightly or densely pubescent/scaly, adaxially flattened; leaf rachis 20.5-25 cm long, 3-6 mm wide in mid-leaf, triangular in section, pubescent/scaly; leaflets lanceolate, strongly cucullate, 4-8 on each side of the rachis, in groups of 2-4 leaflets, groups 11-12.5 cm apart, the proximal leaflets 12-17 × 2.4-5.2 cm, median leaflets 20.5-24 × 2.7-5.5 cm, distal leaflets 14-17 × 3-7.5 cm, width of leaflet base at insertion on rachis 0.5-3 cm, distal leaflet pair often multifold, acumen 0.8- 4 cm, abaxial surface with scattered to abundant scales in proximal part and occasionally bands of minute punctiform scales on the margin and along the blade. Inflorescence interfoliar, branched to 2 orders, erect; peduncle 38-40 cm long, 0.8-1.7 cm wide, densely pubescent; prophyll 28-34 cm long, 2-3 cm wide, borne 7 cm above the base of peduncle, with sparse to dense reddish tomentum, 2-keeled, opening distally 5.5-9 cm; peduncular bract not seen, deciduous, inserted at 23-25 cm from the base of peduncle; rachis 23-37 cm long including terminal rachilla, slightly to densely pubescent, with 2-4 branched and 7-10 unbranched first order branches, the proximal with a secondary rachis up to 7.5 cm, with up to 3 rachillae; rachillae 16-32 cm long, 2-5 mm in diam., densely puberulous, triads rather closely packed in shallow pits. Flowers not seen. Fruits yellowish, ellipsoid, slightly curved 9-12 × 3-4 mm, mesocarp fleshy, endocarp fibrous. Seeds about 9 × 2 mm, pointed at the apex, homogeneous endosperm. (M. Rakotoarinivo, M.S.Trudgen and W.J.Baker. 2009) Editing by edric.
Vegetatively, this palm superficially resembles Dypsis bonsai or some forms of D. procumbens. However, the inflorescence is composed of long, thick rachillae with flowers and fruits borne in shallow pits, suggesting a relationship with the species of Dypsis Group 7 (e.g. D. boiviniana, D. sanctaemariae, D. mangorensis) defined by Dransfield and Beentje (1995). It is easily distinguished by the almost disproportionately robust, erect inflorescences. (M. Rakotoarinivo, M.S.Trudgen and W.J.Baker. 2009).
Culture
Comments and Curiosities
Conservation: Vulnerable [VU (D1+2)],(provisional assessment). A common palm along the eastern edge of the central part of Makira. The population is estimated to exceed one thousand indviduals, many occurring within the protected area. (M. Rakotoarinivo, M.S.Trudgen and W.J.Baker. 2009).
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.
- IMAGE GALLERY
In habitat Makira Protected Area Madagascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric.
In habitat Makira Protected Area Madagascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric.
In habitat Makira Protected Area Madagascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric.
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.
