Dypsis betamponensis (Jum.) Beentje & J.Dransf., Palms Madagascar : 295 (1995)

Primary tabs

A small palm with entire leaves, much-branched inflorescences, and didymous stamens; distinct, and presumably extinct as well. The species name is derived from the type locality. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)

Madagascar present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B

Only known from a single collection from Betampona. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

The didymous stamens are very rare in entireleaved Dypsis species, and only D. catatiana, D. fanjana and D. singularis are similar in this respect. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Lowland rain forest; c. 100 m (according to Jumelle & Perrier (1945); the type specimen gives no altitude). (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Presumed extinct: not seen for seventy years. Betampona has been visited by several palm collectors, including HB, in recent years. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Small palm to 1 m. LEAVES entire, with the sheath c. 11 cm long, 6.5 mm diam., with sparse reddish scales and c. 2 mm high auricles; petiole c. 6 cm long, 2.5-3 mm diam., with reddish scales; lamina 49- 52 cm long, midrib 21.5 cm, lobes 30 x 5.7 cm, main veins c. 7, with lines and bands of reddish scales, apices 0.8-1.8 cm wide, longdentate. INFLORESCENCE c. 63 cm, branched to 1 (2) order(s); peduncle c. 41 cm long, c. 2 mm diam., glabrous; prophyll c. 30 cm long, 1 cm wide, borne at 10.5 cm above the base of the peduncle, with scattered pale brown scales; peduncular bract inserted at c. 30 cm from the base of the peduncle, c. 12 cm long; rachis c. 16 cm long, with sparse long (1-2 mm) red curly hairs, especially in the axils of rachillae, with 1 branched and 22 unbranched first order branches, the branched one with 3 rachillae; rachillae reflexed, 3-5.2 cm, c. 1 mm diam., glabrous, with quite dense triads. STAMINATE FLOWERS with sepals imbricate, 0.6-0.8 x 0.8-1.1 mm; petals 0.8-0.9 mm high; stamens 6, biseriate, didymous, the filaments 0.2-0.25 mm long and connate at their bases, anthers 0.2-0.35 mm long and wide, in the type often with 4 fertile, 1 sterile and 1 missing or vestigial stamen; pistillode c. 0.2 mm high. PISTILLATE FLOWERS only known from very young buds, with sepals imbricate, the petals still enclosed within. FRUIT unknown. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Toamasina: Betampona, Dec. 1925 (bud), Perrier 17469 (Holotype P). (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

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

B. World Checklist of Arecaceae