Dypsis ovobontsira Beentje, Palms Madagascar : 180 (1995)

Primary tabs

This is a beautiful palm of restricted distribution. The name is taken from the Betsimisaraka name for this species. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)

Madagascar present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B

Only known from the Mananara Biosphere Reserve. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

In its group of large palms with regular leaflets and ruminate endosperm distinct by the interfoliar inflorescence with its long peduncle and bracts, the very hairy leaf sheath, and the spirally inserted leaves. It does not really resemble any other species closely. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

inter species arborescentes foliolis regulariter dispositis endospermio ruminato inflorescentia interfoliacea pedunculo longo foliis spiraliter dispositis vagina folii hirsutissima distincta. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Moist forest, steep mid slope, ultramafic soils with deep humus layer; c. 265 m. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Critical. Only known from a single site, where less than ten individuals are known. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

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

Solitary palm. TRUNK to 8-10 m, 13 cm diam., near crown 9 cm diam.; internodes 14 cm, near crown 2-2.5 cm; wood pink, with dense fibre-layer below bark. LEAVES spiral, 6, arching; sheath c. 62 cm, at crown 14 cm diam., green with dense brown and white scales; petiole c. 47 cm, green with dense white scales, proximally 6 x 5 cm, distally 5 x 4.5 cm, channelled with sharp edges; rachis 2.5-2.6 m, in midleaf 2.5 x 2.3 cm, green, waxy with sparse scattered scales; leaflets 68-69 on each side of the rachis, very regular, stiff, in 1 plane, the proximal 68-71 x 3.3-4.2 cm (sometimes with long pendulous reins), median 86-90 x 4.6-5.2 cm, dark green, glabrous. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, arching with spreading rachillae, 170 x 90 cm, branched to 3 orders; peduncle 79 x 7 x 2 cm proximally, distally 7 x 4 cm; prophyll borne at 34 cm above the base of the peduncle, 56 cm x 14 cm, split very much on 1 side; peduncular bract deciduous, borne at 53 cm above the base of the peduncle; rachis with 22 branched and 19 unbranched first order branches, these proximally flattened, 4 x 1.7 cm; rachillae 10-18.5 cm, c. 6 mmacross. FLOWERS unknown. FRUIT green, 15-17 x 13-15 mm when fresh, 10 x 7 mm when dried. SEED 13-15 x 11-13 mm, rounded at the apex, pointed at the base, broader than wide, with sub-basal depression; endosperm slightly ruminate. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Mananara Avaratra: 10 km W of Antanambe, April 1992 (fr.), Beentje et al. 4645 (type; BH, K, MO, P, TAN). (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

A. Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar

B. World Checklist of Arecaceae