Dypsis curtisii Baker, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 22: 526 (1887)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_65431_1.jpg

Content

Introduction

  • Only represented by two ancient collections, this remains one of the lesser known palms of the island. The name refers to the collector of the type, Charles Curtis (1852-1928), who collected in Madagascar in 1881. (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
Unfortunately, we are not sure where Curtis collected, and his number 117 (the only other specimen we have seen made by this collector) is an unidentifiable palm leaf, also without locality. Jumelle & Perrier, in the Flore de Madagascar, state Imerina (= northern central Madagascar) for the type - which they also call Curtis s.n. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • Close to D. pervillei, and possibly not distinct. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Montane forest; 1500-1800 m. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Conservation

  • Uncertain; Tsaratanana has not been visited by botanists in the recent past. (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

  • STEM with internodes 3-3.5 cm long distally, 8-9 mm across, glabrous. LEAVES: sheath 12-13 cm long, with rounded shoulders and laciniate margins, with red-brown scattered scales; petiole 40-10 cm long, 2-4 mm diam., with scattered reddish scales; rachis 34-39 cm, in mid-leaf 2-3 mm diam., densely to sparsely dark reddish scaly; leaflets 9 -12 on each side of the rachis, in groups of 2-3, the group interval 4.5-6.5 cm, sigmoid, narrowly ovate, folded or rarely slightly connate (for up to 1 cm) with the rachis, the proximal 8-18 x 0.3-2.3 cm, median leaflets 9-20 x 1.2-4 cm (interval 1-2 cm), distal 9-13 x 2-4.6 cm, the distal pair joined for 1-5 cm, dentate on the outer bend for 0.5-1.5 cm with quite long teeth, other leaflets with the apices longacuminate, with 1-6 main veins, dark green adaxially with some red (almost spiny) scales on midrib, pale green abaxially with sinuous transverse veinlets and glabrous or with a few reddish scales on the midrib and the margins, but only rarely on the main veins. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, unbranched or bifurcate; peduncle 22-34 cm, 1.5-3 x 1-2 mm diam., densely to sparsely scaly; prophyll 16-35 cm long, 0.5 cm wide, borne at 5-11 cm above the base of the peduncle, pale brown with few scales, opening near the apex for 1-2 cm; peduncular bract inserted at 14 -19 cm from the base of the peduncle, 12-15 cm long, opening near the apex for c. 2 cm but not at the beak which is up to 3 mm long, with scattered scales; rachilla 16-23 cm long, or (in Perrier 12039) with 2 rachillae c. 12.5 cm long (broken?), c. 2 mm diam., densely scaly with dark red to almost black small scales, with c. 147 distant triads in slight pits. STAMINATE FLOWERS in bud ovoid; sepals concave, keeled, slightly gibbous at base, only slightly ciliolate; receptacle c. 0.6 mm high; petals 2.2-2.3 x 1.4-1.5 mm, concave, ovate, slightly acute, striate; stamens 6, equal, filaments connate for 0.2 mm, 1.2 mm long, linear, anthers dorsifixed, versatile, 1.3- 1.5 x 0.4 mm, linear, slightly apiculate, the locules parallel; pistillode 1.2 mm long, c. 0.3 mm diam. PISTILLATE FLOWERS ovoid-conical, slightly acute; sepals 0.6-1.3 x 1.2-2 mm, orbicular, hardly ciliolate, not really keeled; petals imbricate proximally, valvate distally, 1.8 -2.9 x 1.4-2 mm, concave, ovate, obtuse, striate; staminodes 0.3-0.4 mm; ovary somewhat trigonous, 2.2-2.3 x 0.7-0.8 mm. FRUIT unknown. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • ? Bealanana: Tsaratanana, Oct. 1912 (fl.), Perrier 12039 (P); idem, Dec. 1912 (y.fr.), Perrier 12043 (P). Madagascar, Sept. 1881 (fl.), Curtis 116 (Holotype 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