Dypsis minuta Beentje, Palms Madagascar : 313 (1995)

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Introduction

  • The name of this exquisite little palm, which is resticted in its distribution, indicates its size; it is a tiny solitary palm, one of the smallest on the island. (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 Maroantsetra. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • Very similar to D. coriacea but differs in the pubescent leaf sheath, the curved (not erect) inflorescence and the less leathery leaf, at least when fresh. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Diagnosis

  • D. coriaceaesimilis sed vagina folii pubescenti inflorescentia arcuata non erecta et folio vivendi non coriaceo differt. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Lowland rain forest; ridgetops; 200-550 m. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Conservation

  • Vulnerable. Occurs over a restricted distribution area, without official protection; numbers are thought to be fairly low. (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

  • Solitary palm, stem 15-50 cm. STEMS to 5 mm diam.; internodes c. 1-2 cm, densely rusty-red hairy; nodal scars 0.2 mm. LEAVES 5-8 in the crown, entire or with several leaflets (fide JD6371, but not apparent from collection); sheath 6-9 cm long, half open, densely red-pubescent, with long-laciniate auricles to 1 cm; petiole 3-18 cm long, 1.5-2 mm diam., densely scaly; lamina entire, 19.5-33 cm long, bright greyish green, midrib 4.5-6 cm, lobes 16-26 x 1.3-2.5 cm, main veins 4-6, with minute reddish scattered scales on major and minor veins, white wax present? or white-punctate, apices narrowly dentate, 2- 4 mm wide. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, unbranched (a single bifid rachilla present in JD6457), erect to spreading; peduncle 6-19 cm; prophyll 7-15 cm, pale brown, open in the distal 1 cm; peduncular bract inserted at 6-11.5 cm from the base of the peduncle, 3-12 cm long, glabrous or with scattered scales, open for most of its length; non-tubular peduncular bract often present, 1.5-2 mm long; rachilla 4- 12 cm long, 1-2 mm diam., minutely puberulous or glabrous, with distant triads. STAMINATE FLOWERS with sepals 0.7-0.9 x 1-1.9 mm, ciliolate; petals 1.7-2 x 1.1-1.2 mm; stamens 6, uniseriate, filaments 1-1.2 mm, anthers 1.3-1.4 x 0.4 mm, versatile; pistillode c. 1 x 0.3 mm. PISTILLATE FLOWERS white; sepals 0.6-1.2 x 1-1.5 mm, ciliolate; petals 1.8-2.5 x 1.5-1.8 mm; staminodes 0.3-0.4 mm; gynoecium on a 0.2 mm stalk, 1.7-2.3 x 1.2-2 mm. FRUIT when young 11-12 x 2-3 mm. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • Maroantsetra: Hiaraka, Oct. 1986 (bud), Dransfield et al. JD6371 (K, P, TAN); Antalavia, Feb. 1988 (y.fr.), Dransfield et al. JD6483 (K, TAN); Sahavary, Feb. 1988 (fl., y.fr.), Dransfield et al. JD6457 (Holotype K; isotypes P, TAN). No locality, collected before 1867, (fl.), Lyall 323 (K, syntype of N. heterophylla but not conspecific with the lectotype of that species, Baron 486). Dypsis coriacea. Close-up of infructescence (Dransfield et al. JD6459). (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