Ravenea robustior

Botanical Description

Ravenea robustior is a large, single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree growing 12 - 30 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be 20 - 60cm in diameter with a bulbous base, it is topped by a crown of 11 - 25 large leaves each up to 4 metres long on a petiole up to 135cm long[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Ravenea robustior is an important source of food (with high nutritional value) and other useful plant parts for the local population[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. It is reported as being cultivated in Madagascar but no further details are known[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. In view of the increasing scarcity of this palm and its long life cycle, it is important to extend planting activities[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The plant is also a specialty ornamental.[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. This species is not common despite the wide distribution range, about 1,000 individuals are estimated for the whole population. The population is declining. Threats include habitat loss through clearance for shifting agriculture, logging and mining; plus there is ongoing harvesting of the plants for the edible palm-heart and for the trunks which are used in construction. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].