Ravenea latisecta Jum., Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille , IV, 5(1): 35 (1927)

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Introduction

  • A rather doubtful species; it is quite possible that this is really the same as R. madagascariensis, but female trees are needed to solve the question. The Latin name refers to the wide leaflets. (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
Only known from the Andasibe area. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • The type is not in Paris, and could not be traced in any other herbarium. We are suspi- pistillate inflorescence by Jumelle, and we believe he only saw part of the rachis, probably the proximal part. His statements about the inflorescence being solitary or multiple are notoriously unreliable; if the pistillate inflorescence is multiple, this taxon could be an extreme form of R. madagascariensis. We failed to find any pistillate trees in Mantady, and we have included the species in the key according to Jumelle"s description. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Moist forest at 900-1000 m, steep slope near hill crest. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Conservation

  • Endangered. The species only occurs in a single site, and numbers are very low (we have seen four trees). (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

  • Medium-sized undergrowth palm. TRUNK 6-10 m, 15-20 cm diam., internodes 4.5-12 cm, nodal scars c. 5 cm; wood hard. LEAVES 6-13, porrect to spreading; sheath 60-74 x 20 cm, white-tomentose to pinkish, abaxially with many small tufts of black hairs (not in Beentje collections); petiole 15-50 cm, proximally 7 x 4 cm across, distally 5 x 5 cm, with a dense brown tomentum; rachis c. 3.6 m, in mid-leaf 2-2.5 cm wide, almost flat abaxially and covered there with soft brown or white tomentum, adaxially with keel; leaflets stiff to slightly drooping, in one plane, about 73 on each side of the rachis, the proximal 55-100 x 2.5-3.5 cm, median 60-105 x 5-6.8 cm, distal 12-34 x 1.5-3.7 cm. STAMINATE INFLORESCENCES interfoliar, according to Jumelle solitary, but multiple in 5s-7s in Beentje collections, pendulous when dead, 140-160 cm, branched to 2 orders; peduncle 60-90 cm, 8 x 7 mm across; prophyll not seen; peduncular bracts seen 86, 160, 176 cm long; rachis 57-84 cm, with 30-40 branched and 32-60 unbranched first order branches; rachillae 3.5-20 cm, 0.7-1 mm across, with spaced flowers; pedicels 0.3-0.5 mm. STAMINATE FLOWERS with the calyx connate for 0.9 mm, with free lobes 0.5-0.6 x 0.2 mm; petals free, 2.4-2.5 x 1.2 mm; stamens equal, free, with filaments 0.1-0.2 mm and anthers 1.4 x 0.4 mm, rounded at base and apex. PISTILLATE INFLORESCENCE (description from Jumelle) ?solitary, with peduncle 60 cm long, 3 x 1.5 cm across; bracts 20 cm (inserted at 5 cm from the base of the peduncle), 80-85 cm and 90 cm (inserted at 10-15 cm), 70 cm (inserted at c. 70 cm) respectively; rachis 15 cm or less; rachillae c. 50 in number, close, 35-45 cm long. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with the calyx small, with the sepals connate for about half, the free part triangular; old petals marcescent, black, ovate, acuminate, 3.6 mm; older ovary oblong, with stigmatic remains lateral. FRUIT (description from Jumelle) long-pedicellate, ovate or elliptic, 10 x 7 mm, yellow turning red; stigmatic remains lateral. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • Moramanga: Mantady, April 1992 (old stam.), Beentje et al. 4657 (BH, K, MO, P, TAN); idem, (ster.), Beentje et al. 4652 (K, TAN); idem, Dec. 1992 (stam.), Beentje & Andriampaniry 4776 (K, TAN). (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