Dypsis concinna

Dypsis (DIP-sis) concinna (KOHN-seen-nah)
Habitat, Photo by Phil Arrowsmith.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Dypsis (DIP-sis) Species: concinna (KOHN-seen-nah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Africa
Morphology
Habit: Solitary & clustering. Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Endemic to Madagascar. Zahamena and the Moramanga/ Mantady area. Submontane rain forest,

Habitat, Photo by Phil Arrowsmith.

often with much bamboo; gentle slopes or ridge tops; alt. 800-1120 m.

Description

Solitary or clustering palm. STEMS to 2 m high, 5-8 mm in diam., erect or leaning, internodes 1-5 cm, densely to sparsely scaly with red-brown scales; nodal scars c. 1 mm. LEAVES 5-12 in the crown, porrect, within one population pinnate or entire (in Beentje 4535), shiny rich green; sheath 7-11 cm long, closed, densely to sparsely scaly with long laciniate reddish scales, with small auricles to 5 mm high and with laciniate-scaly margins; petiole absent or up to 3 cm long (to 9 cm in some entire leaves), 2-3 mm in diam., with scattered scales; rachis 11-29 cm long, in mid-leaf 1.5-2 mm wide, densely pubescent or with scattered scales on all surfaces; lamina when entire 13-30 x 3-5.3 cm, the lobes 4.5-21 x 1.5-2.4 cm, dentate over a width of 0.6-1 cm, the margins occasionally with a lacuna of 50-95% of the width between midrib and margin, with minute glands on minor veins, with 4-5 main veins; when pinnate with 11-25 leaflets on each side of the rachis, irregular or in groups of 2-7, in one plane, the group interval 1-6 cm, the leaflet interval 0.3-0.8 cm, the proximal leaflets 1-7 x 0.2-0.7 cm, median 3.5-10 x 0.4-1.3 cm, distal 2.5-6 x 0.3-1.7 cm, main vein 1, with faint or clear scattered scales on minor veins and distally with larger marginal scales, apices unequally acute to attenuate, terminal pair joined for 0.2-2.3 cm, with 2-3 main veins and dentate over a width of 0.4-1.5 cm, rarely with a large leaflet (10-12 x 1-1.5 cm) among the normal ones, either proximal or median, connate for up to 3.5 cm with the midrib. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, branched to 1 order (rarely with up to three bifurcate rachillae), arching; peduncle 12-28 cm long, 1.5-2 mm in diam. distally, glabrous or densely red-pubescent (only in JD6435); prophyll 7-22 cm long, 3-6 mm wide, with scattered scales, borne at 2-10 cm above the base of the peduncle, open for 1-3 cm at the apex; peduncular bract often quickly deciduous, inserted at 6-15 cm from the base of the peduncle, 4-9 cm long, 3-4 mm wide, with scattered scales, open for the distal 1-4 cm; rarely a non-tubular peduncular bract near the apex of the peduncle, 3-12 mm long; rachis absent or up to 10 cm long, with 2-9 rachillae (and occasionally with 1-3 more branched ones at the base of the rachis); rachillae 3-12 cm long, 1-1.5 mm in diam., glabrous, with distant superficial triads. STAMINATE FLOWERS with sepals 0.6-1.1 x 0.7-1.3 mm, the middle one sometimes very asymmetrical; petals 1.5-2 x 1.1-1.4 mm; stamens 6, biseriate (offset 0.1-0.2 mm), the filaments 0.6-0.8 mm, thin, with anthers 0.9-1.3 x 0.3-0.6 mm, parallel and dorsifixed; pistillode 0.5-0.8 mm high, 0.2-0.4 mm in diam., conical. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with sepals 0.8-1.3 x 0.8-1.8 mm; petals 2.3-3 x 1.7-3 mm; staminodes 6, 0.2-0.6 mm; pistil 2.2-2.3 x 1.2-1.8 mm. FRUIT red, ellipsoid, 6-16 x 3.5-7 mm, with fibrous endocarp, the fibres anastomosing little. SEED 5.5-8.5 x 3-4.5 mm, obtuse at both ends; endosperm homogeneous. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

A species with very narrow leaves which is locally common over a fairly small area. JD has seen beautiful plants of this species in cultivation in Queensland; it is most decorative and appears to be easily cultivated. The name concinna is Latin for neat or pretty. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.

Conservation: Vulnerable. Although the species is common at Analamazaotra, its distribution area is small. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.

A small solitary or clustering palm from montane rainforests in central eastern Madagascar with thin stems to about 2 m (7 ft.) tall and glossy green, pinnate or occasionally entire leaves. Quite reminiscent of a Chamaedorea species, it is best suited for the understorey of the humid tropical garden. (RPS.com)