Dypsis lutea (Jum.) Beentje & J.Dransf., Palms Madagascar : 293 (1995)

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Introduction

  • A distinctive undergrowth species with fairly large, entire, pale green leaves and a branched inflorescence. The name lutea means golden yellow, and this alludes to the colour of the inflorescence. (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
Masoala and the Moramanga area. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • Var. transiens was separated on the base of the peduncular bract being deciduous, not split at the apex, and beaked, whereas var. lutea has peduncular bract remaining, opening only at the apex, not beaked. Perrier 12002 has one inflorescence which differs strongly from the others on that specimen and looks very much like that of var. transiens, including the stouter prophyll, the deciduous peduncular bract and the inflorescence branched to two orders. Perrier 18391 shows a peduncular bract with a 1 cm long beak, just as in var. transiens. We see no reason to uphold the varieties. Decary 5064 is from Ivohibe: Ifandana, Sept. 1926 (bud), (P), and is very like D. lutea. It is 5 m high; the leaf is 62 cm long, with lobes 42 cm long; the inflorescence is branched to 2 orders, with a rachis of 24 cm with 15 branched and 10 unbranched first order branches; rachillae are 5-9 cm long. The staminate flowers are smaller in all dimensions, but they are in bud. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Lowland and submontane rain forest; ridge top (?always); 40-1100 m. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Conservation

  • Critical. There is only one recent collection, from an unprotected area which is being destroyed; the other collections are over eighty years old. (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

  • Neophloga luteaJum. var. transiensJum. & H. Perrier, Fl. Madagascar 30: 76 (1945). Type: Madagascar, Masoala Peninsula, Perrier 11940 (Holotype P), synon nov
    Clustering or solitary palm. STEM 2.5-3 m high, to 0.8 cm diam., the distal internodes c. 7 cm, blackish brown, covered in laciniate scales. LEAVES c. 9 in the crown, entire; sheath 10-17 cm long, c. 1 cm diam., pale green, distally covered in dense red-brown laciniate scales when young, with or without triangular auricles to 3 mm long and laciniate; petiole absent or to 4.5 cm long, c. 1.5 mm diam., with brown laciniate scales mixed with silvery scales; blade obtriangular, 30-55 cm long, pale green, midrib/rachis 21-43 cm long, lobes 9-17 x 2.3-4.2 cm, main veins 7-17, scattered scales on the midrib and to a lesser extent on the veins, apices 5-15 mm wide and dentate, also dentate on the distal outside margins. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, yellow to orange, branched to 1 or 2 orders, 33-77 cm long; peduncle 19-60 cm, 2.5-5 mm diam., densely scaly but glabrescent; prophyll 14-37 cm long, 0.5-1 cm wide, borne at 2.5-9 cm above the base of the peduncle, split for the distal 2.5 cm, with scattered scales; peduncular bract deciduous or persistent, inserted at 12-27 from the base of the peduncle, 13-31.5 cm long, split in the distal 4 cm, with scattered scales; rachis 4-16 cm long, glabrous, without or with up to 5 branched, and 4-11 unbranched first order branches, the proximal of the branched ones with up to 4 rachillae; rachillae 4-17 cm, with dense triads and dark yellow flowers. STAMINATE FLOWERS with sepals 1-1.5 x 1-1.4 mm; petals 2.1-2.5 x 1.4-1.6 mm; stamens 6, equal or offset for up to 0.3 mm, filaments 0.8-1 mm long, 0.2-0.3 mm diam., cylindrical with slightly triangular base, anthers 1-1.5 x 0.7-0.8 mm, dorsifixed, versatile, the locules parallel and obtuse; pistillode 0.4-1.1 mm high, 0.3-0.4 mm diam. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with sepals 1-1.2 x 1.2-1.6 mm, ciliolate; petals 2.8-3 x 2.2-2.7 mm, ciliolate?; staminodes 6, 0.3-0.6 mm long; gynoecium 2.8-3 mm high, 1.6-2.7 mm diam. FRUITS (young) oblong, incurved, attenuate towards an obtuse apex. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • Maroantsetra/Antalaha: Masoala Peninsula, Nov. 1912 (fl.), Perrier 11940 (P, type of var. transiens). Moramanga: Ambatovola, Jan. ?1913 (fl.), Perrier 12002 (P, syntype); idem, Jan. 1928 (fl.), Perrier 18391 (P, syntype); Andasibe, Anevoke, Nov. 1986 (bud), Dransfield et al. JD6421 (K, P, TAN). (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