Dypsis lanceolata (Becc.) Beentje & J.Dransf., Palms Madagascar : 223 (1995)

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Introduction

  • This would be a wonderful ornamental. Hull describes it as 'even more beautiful than D. cabadae'. The name refers to the shape of the leaflets, which are unusually broad for the genus Dypsis. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Comoros present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Comoro Islands: Grande Comore, Moheli. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • Affinities of this taxon are unclear. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Mid-altitude rain forest; 500-1000 m. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Conservation

  • Unknown, but at least Vulnerable. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Common Name

  • Ivovowo (fide Hull). (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Uses

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

Description

  • Clustering palm. STEMS 5-6 m high; nodal scars pronounced. LEAVES "somewhat plumose" (Hull); petiole distally 1.5-1.7 cm diam., red- dish pubescent on both surfaces, channelled; rachis 1.8-1.9 m long, in mid-leaf 1-1.6 cm wide, keeled, densely scaly or with scattered pale scales; leaflets slightly irregular (interval in mid-leaf 1.5-5 cm), proximal 38-43 x 1-2.7 cm, median 30-48 x 3.5-7 cm, distal 4-24 x 0.7-3.8 cm, main veins 3-5, with very conspicuous thickened margins, with several large (0.5-1 cm long) pale-coloured laciniate ramenta on midrib and main veins proximally, and faint minute reddish scales in longitudinal lines on the main and minor veins on the type, but absent in modern collections, acuminate. INFLORESCENCE branched to 3 orders or more, c. 60 cm long; rachis bract (one seen) 4.5 cm long, narrowly triangular; rachillae 13-24 cm long, 1.5-3 mm diam., glabrous, with distant superficial triads. STAMINATE FLOWERS with sepals 1.2-1.4 x 1.4-1.6 mm; petals connate for 0.5 mm, free for 2.6-2.9 x 1.4-1.6 mm, spreading at full anthesis; stamens 6, uniseriate, filaments 1 (in closed flow-ers)-3 (in fully open flowers) mm long, narrowly cylindrical, anthers 1.4 x 0.5-0.6 mm; pistillode 1.6-1.7 mm high, 0.4-0.6 mm diam. PISTILLATE FLOWERS not seen. FRUIT ellipsoid, 13-17 x 6-10 mm, with rounded apex; endocarp fibrous, with anastomizing fibres. SEED slightly obovoid with obtuse apex, (10-) 13-16 x 5-7 mm, with homogeneous endosperm. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • Grande Comore: Combani forest, Oct. 1884 (fl.), Humblot 1347 (K, P; type); Mt Kartala, above Boboni, Oct. 1993 (fr.), Hull s.n. (K). Moheli: Mt St. Antonio, Dec. 1967 (fr.), Bernardi 11750 (K, 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