Dypsis mcdonaldiana

• SUB CATEGORY PALMS OF MADAGASCAR

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Madagascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric.

Dypsis mcdonaldiana
Madagascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Dypsis Species: mcdonaldiana
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Africa
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Endemic to Madagascar. Only known from the mountains of SE Madagascar. Lowland or submontane rain forest edge; slight midslope or wet valley bottom among boulders; alt. 300-1100 m.

Description

Clustering or subcolonial palm in groups of 8-20. STEMS 3-5 m, 1-3 cm in diam.; internodes 1-5 cm, brown, more distally green. LEAVES 7- 10, spiral, flushed reddish when young; sheath 12-20 cm, pale green with distal red-brown pubescence, with tiny rounded ligules, the outer sheaths half open; petiole 5-10 cm long, 4-9 x 2-4 mm in diam., abaxially with scattered scales, adaxially flat with sharp edges; rachis 37-90 cm, abaxially with scattered scales, in mid-leaf keeled, 3-5 mm diam.; leaflets 12-21 on each side of the rachis, regular or slightly irregular (in mid-leaf 2-4 cm apart), with top flabellum, the proximal 14-28 x 0.3-1.5 cm, median 21-43 x 1.6-2.4 cm, distal 0.8-29 x 0.8-2.9 (-7) cm, the distal pair joined for up to 7.5 cm and at the apex dentate over a width of 3-15 mm, main veins 1-3 (to 6 in the distal ones), apices attenuate, unequally bifid, no ramenta or scales. INFLORESCENCE (interand) infra-foliar, 45-90 cm, branched to 2 orders; peduncle 18-33 cm, proximally 5-8 x 2-3 mm, distally 4-7 x 2-6 mm diam., with sparse red-brown scales; prophyll 16-27 x 0.9-1 cm, borne at 4-8 cm above the base of the peduncle, with scattered scales, split in the distal 1-4 cm only; peduncular bract deciduous, not seen; rachis 16-27 cm, glabrous or nearly so, with 4-6 (-16) branched and 11-13 unbranched first order branches, the proximal of these to 8 cm long with up to 8 rachillae; rachillae 4-20 cm, 1-1.5 mm in diam., puberulous to glabrous. STAMINATE FLOWERS unknown. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with sepals 0.8-1 x 1-1.2 cm; petals 1.6-2.5 x 1.5-1.8 cm; staminodes not seen; ovary subglobose, about 1.5 mm high, about 1.3 mm in diam., with a trifid stigma. FRUIT red, 6-9 x 3-4 mm; remnant sepals 1 x 1 mm, petals 2.2-2.4 x 1.8 mm, with lower part imbricate and minutely ciliate, upper part valvate and triangular; endocarp fibrous, fibres not anastomosing. SEED with homogenous endosperm. EOPHYLL bifid.

Probably closest to D. scottiana, but with more robust inflorescences with longer rachillae. The (Guillaumet) specimen from the highest elevation has much shorter and scaly rachillae while the lowland ones have longer glabrous ones. Close to this species is Bosser 18599 from Vondrozo: W of Vondrozo, alt. 700 m, Dec. 1963 (bud); the sheath is longer (29 cm), the petiole shorter (5 mm), the rachis is 28 cm with only 6 leaflets on each side; the peduncle is 68 cm, but the rest of the inflorescence is similar.

Culture

Warm, sheltered and moist. Heavily filtered light.

Comments and Curiosities

Named after the company that funded HB for four years of the project on Madagascar palms: McDonald's Restaurants (UK). This is in the tradition of Linnaeus, the father of Botany, who named taxa after his benefactors (and nasty weeds after his enemies, so we have to add that this is a beautiful palm!). (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995).

Conservation Vulnerable. Restricted to a small area, which is only partially protected. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995).

External Links

• Glossary of Palm Terms
• Pronunciation Key

References

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos, edric.

• IMAGE GALLERY
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  Madagascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric.

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  Madagascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric.

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  Photo by Steve Prescott, edric.

Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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