Dypsis bosseri J.Dransf., Palms Madagascar : 393 (1995)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_65415_1.jpg

Introduction

  • Known only from a single collection, this is a small palm of the forest undergrowth. It most resembles D. hildebrandtii but is larger in all its parts and has a rather congested inflorescence. It is named for the col- lector of the type, Jean Bosser. (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
Known only from forest west of Mahavelona. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • We have described this new species, even though it is known only from a single specimen, because it seems so distinctive. The combination of robust epetiolate leaf with few broad and very close segments and the stocky inflorescence, with axes all densely covered in thick ferruginous hairs is distinctive. Perhaps it most resembles robust forms of D. hildebrandtii, but is more massive in all its parts. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Diagnosis

  • Inter species floribus staminatis triandris staminibus antepetalis, staminodiis antesepalis alternantibus, D. hildebrandtii similis sed habitu multo majore, folio robustiore epetiolato inflorescentia con-gesta rachillis pilis ferruginosis dense tectis differt. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Biology And Ecology

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

Conservation

  • Possibly extinct; not collected since the original collection, and most of the forest at Mahavelona has now disappeared. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Common Name

  • Not recorded. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Uses

  • Not recorded. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Description

  • Slender forest undergrowth palm to 2.5 m tall. STEM not preserved in available specimen. LEAF sheath dimensions not known, surface very densely covered in thick ferruginous scales, auricles apparently absent; petiole absent; rachis 37-40 cm, c. 5 mm wide at the base, adaxially with scattered ferruginous scales, abaxially rather densely covered with caducous ferruginous scales; leaflets 4-5 on each side of the rachis, the lowermost pair very short, 5 x 0.5 cm, sometimes only partly separated from the second pair, second pair of leaflets 14-19 x 2-2.5 cm, third pair to 25 x 6 cm, apical pair to 15 x c. 8 cm, joined for 12.5-14 cm along the rachis, with an apical notch to 5 cm deep, the apical margins deeply lobed to 5 mm, occasionally deeper, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxially with scat- tered brown punctiform scales and bands of scattered brown scales. INFLORESCENCE branched to 2 orders, relatively stout; peduncle 21 cm long; prophyll 16 x 1 cm, membranous, with scattered red-brown scales; peduncular bract similar, exceeding the prophyll by c. 6.5 cm; rachis 11 cm long, c. 2.5 mm diam., densely covered with redbrown trichomes to c. 1 mm long; rachillae c. 28, 2.5-6 cm long, c. 0.8 mm diam., very densely covered in red-brown trichomes, triads c. 2 mm apart, rachilla bracts to 0.5 mm, laciniate. STAMINATE FLOWERS c. 1.5 mm diam.; sepals rounded, c. 0.5 x 0.5 mm, keeled, margins erose; petals triangular, striate, c. 1.5 x 1 mm; stamens 3, antepetalous, c. 0.5 mm high, anthers c. 0.2 x 0.1 mm, didymous, staminodes triangular, antesepalous, c. 0.2 x 0.2 mm; pistillode conical, minute. Other parts not known. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • Toamasina: Mahavelona, Dec. 1962 (fl.), Bosser 16972 (Holotype P). (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