Dypsis moorei Beentje, Palms Madagascar : 354 (1995)

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Introduction

  • A massive undergrowth litter-trapping palm, known only from the type; named for Hal Moore (1917-1980), who discovered it. (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 Peninsula. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • This species is somewhat near D. perrieri but differs in the petiole being much longer, the rachis much shorter, the inflorescence branching to 1 order only, with glabrous axes; the peduncle is much more slender; the staminate sepals and petals are larger. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Diagnosis

  • D. perrieri affinis sed petiolo multo longiore rachide multo breviore inflorescentia glabra semel ramificanti pedunculo graciliore sepalis petalisque floris staminati majoribus differt. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Lowland rain forest with low canopy; c. 50 m? (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Conservation

  • Endangered; only known from a single collection from an area which is known to be under severe threat of degradation. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Common Name

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

Uses

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

Description

  • Solitary palm. TRUNK c. 1 m high, covered in old leaf bases. LEAVES ascending to erect; sheath fibrous; petioles green, c. 3.5 m long, distally c. 2 x 1.6 cm, channelled, densely scaly; rachis c. 1.4 m long, in mid-leaf c. 1.5 x 1.2 cm, glabrous, possibly slightly waxy; leaflets c. 54 on each side of the rachis, regular, directed forward (Moore), green on both surfaces, the proximal 61-66 x 1.4-1.7 cm, median 80-81 x 3.7-3.8 cm (interval 4-5.5 cm), distal 10-46 x 1.1-2.3 cm, main veins 3, with minute reddish scattered scales on the minor veins, apices attenuate or acute. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, branched to 1 order, erect, c. 1.5 m long; peduncle c. 90 cm long, c. 2.6 x 1.6 cm diam. medially, distally 1.7 x 1.1 cm, densely scaly; prophyll not seen; peduncular bract caducous, inserted high on the peduncle (fide Moore), c. 1.3 m long, green, drying brown; rachis 18-30 cm long, densely scaly; rachillae stiff, 42-51 cm long, c. 7 mm diam., densely scaly, slightly zigzag with distant triads. STAMINATE FLOWERS greenish white; sepals 3.3-4.5 x 4-4.9 cm, keeled, gibbous, imbricate; petals 5.7-7 x 3.5-4 mm; stamens 6, biseriate (offset c. 1 mm), filaments connate at the base for c. 0.2 mm, free for c. 2 mm, anthers 2.7-3 x 1.6-2.2 mm, latrorse and versatile, with parallel locules and a wide black connective; pistillode c. 1.3 x 1.2 mm. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with sepals 3.5-6 x 6-8 mm, the innermost widest; petals c. 8 x 7.5 mm in bud; staminodes 6, 0.8-1 mm high, flat; ovary slightly stalked, c. 6.5 mm x 2.8 mm. Mature FRUIT ± spherical, to 25 x 22 x 22 mm, stigmatic remains lateral or slightly below the equator; endocarp strongly fibrous. SEED 22 x 15 x 18 mm, endosperm deeply ruminate, embryo subbasal. EOPHYLL deeply bifid. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • Antalaha: across Onive R from Ambatobe, April 1971 (fl.), Moore 9918 (Holotype P; isotypes BH, K). (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