Dypsis tsaratananensis (Jum.) Beentje & J.Dransf., Palms Madagascar : 226 (1995)

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Introduction

  • A rare clustering palm from a montane habitat. The name refers to the type locality, Tsaratanana. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Madagascar present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Only known from Mt Tsaratanana. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • Data in protologue, not apparent in type or its label: inflorescence branched to 2 or 3 orders. The flowers (present in one of the syntypes) are not described in the protologue, which is most unusual; Jumelle only mentions buds.
    The leaves, and local name, are reminiscent of D. madagascariensis, but the inflorescence and fruit look more like D. baronii. This species is close to D. oreophila. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Biology And Ecology

  • 1000-1700 m. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Conservation

  • Uncertain. Not seen for more than seventy years, but this mountain has not been (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Common Name

  • Kindro (Antankarana). (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Uses

  • Palm-heart edible and highly esteemed. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Description

  • Clustering palm, intermediate in size between D. lutescens and D. baronii (Perrier). LEAVES: sheath 18 cm or more long, pale brown, distally with small scales, 5.5 cm wide when flat; petiole 12-46 cm long, proximally 1.5 x 0.4 cm, distally 1.1 x 0.3 cm, with sparse scales; rachis in mid-leaf 1.3-1.5 cm wide, keeled, sub-glabrous or with some white waxy scales; leaflets 55-60 on each side of the rachis, in groups of 1-4, group interval 3.5-8 cm, the proximal 40-70 x 0.7-0.9 cm, median 55-60 x 1.5-1.7 cm (interval < 0.5 cm), distal 13-30 x 0.5-1.7 cm, main vein 1, margins thickened, glabrous, apices unequally bifid, attenuate. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, branched to 2 orders (more?), recurved; peduncular bract (fide Perrier) beaked, deciduous; rachis c. 24 cm long, with 9 branched and 16 unbranched first order branches; first order branches seen (distal?) with a rachis to 4 cm long, 8 x 3 mm diam., with 5 rachillae, glabrous; rachillae 9-19 cm long, c. 2 mm diam., glabrous, with distant superficial triads; rachilla bract rounded. STAMINATE FLOWERS with sepals 2.3-2.5 x 1.8-2 mm; petals connate to the receptacle for 1.8-2.2 mm, free parts 4.3-4.8 x 2-3 mm; stamens 6, uniseriate, filaments 3.6-4.5 mm, flattened, anthers 1.5-1.6 x 0.6-0.8 mm, versatile, obtuse; pistillode 2-2.3 x 0.8-1 mm. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with sepals 2.5-2.7 x 2.2-3.5 mm; petals 3-3.8 x 3 mm; staminodes c. 0.4 mm; ovary 2 x 1.2 mm. FRUIT ellipsoid, 12-15 x 9-11 mm, rounded at the apex; endocarp fibrous, the fibres much anastomosing. SEED 13-14 x 9-10.5 mm, with few ruminations to 1 mm deep, corresponding to slight grooves on the outside. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • Ambanja/Bealanana: Tsaratanana massif, Dec. 1922 (fl., fr.), Perrier 15265 (P, syntype); idem, May 1924 (fr.), Perrier 15265bis (P, lectotype). (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae