Dypsis poivreana

Dypsis (DIP-sis) poivreana (poyv-reh-AHN-ah)
Habitat, Madagascar. Photo by Phil Arrowsmith.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Dypsis (DIP-sis) Species: poivreana (poyv-reh-AHN-ah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Africa
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Entire bifid.
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Hovoka.

Habitat and Distribution

Endemic to Madagascar. The coastal strip around Fenoarivo. Littoral forest (fide Guillaumet).

Analalava, near Foulpointe, Toamasina, Madagascar. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.

The type of D. poivreana has the description 'palmier aquatique' which seems unlikely. Alt., low elevations.

Description

Solitary palm to 80 cm high. STEM about 8 mm in diam.; internodes 2.5-4.5 cm, densely pubescent distally. LEAVES about 8 in the crown, entire; sheath 11-13 cm long, 1/2 to 2/3 closed, with dense scales, auricles 0.7-1 cm; petiole 3-19 cm long, distally 2-3 mm diam., densely scaly or with scattered scales; lamina entire, 24-42 cm long, midrib 5-10 cm long, lobes 19-37 x 2.4-4.5 cm, main veins 5-7, with scattered scales on minor and major veins, apex dentate over a width of 4-12 mm. INFLORESCENCE unbranched; peduncle 14-26 cm long, about 2 mm in diam., densely red-pubescent; prophyll 6-13 cm long, 4.5 mm wide, with reddish flaking pubescence, borne at about 4 cm above the base of the peduncle, open in the distal 1-1.5 cm; peduncular bract inserted at 6-21 cm from the base of the peduncle, 8-14 cm long, with scattered scales, open in the distal 2 cm, sometimes with a 5 mm beak; non-tubular peduncular bract sometimes present, about 2 mm; rachilla 11-26 cm, 1.5-2 mm in diam., densely scaly, with spaced triads. STAMINATE FLOWERS with sepals 1.3-1.7 x 0.8-1.8 mm; petals on a 0.2-0.4 mm high receptacle, 2-2.6 x 1.3-1.7 mm; stamens 6, biseriate (offset 0.2-0.3 mm), filaments 0.9-1.7 mm and thin (and occasionally connate for about 0.2 mm), anthers 1.3-1.8 x 0.4-0.6 mm, versatile; pistillode 0.6-1 x 0.3-0.5 mm, pyramidal. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with sepals 1.2-2.2 x 1.6-2.1 mm; petals 3-3.9 x 2.8-3.6 mm; staminodes 0.3-0.9 mm; gynoecium 2.8-4 x 2-2.6 mm, trifid. FRUIT unknown. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

This species slightly resembles D. digitata but is distinct in its shorter petioles and closed leaf sheaths; it is close to D. andapae, but that species clusters and occurs in high mountains. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.

Comments and Curiosities

A small solitary undergrowth species from littoral forest, distinct by its entire, deeply lobed leaves and long unbranched inflorescence. The name refers to the collector of the type, Pierre Poivre (1719-1786). (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.

Conservation: Critical. Known from only a very small area, in which this kind of vegetation is disappearing rapidly. Not seen in the last twentyfive years. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.