Arecaceae FAMILY Vulnerable

Dypsis tsaravoasira

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Dypsis tsaravoasira is a solitary-stemmed, evergreen palm that can grow up to 20 metres tall. The unbranched stem is topped by a crown of large, upright leaves[ 314 Title Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. Publication Author Website http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. A very attractive, large palm with leaves that are upright, but droop at the tips[ 314 Title Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. Publication Author Website http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website. ]. It is becoming very popular with palm collectors[ 314 Title Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. Publication Author Website http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website. ]. This species is not common in the wild although it is widely distributed. About 500 mature individuals are estimated for the whole population and the population is thought to be decreasing. The threats to this species include habitat loss through clearance for shifting agriculture and logging and there is also direct loss of mature individuals because trees are cut-down for the edible palm heart and to harvest the seeds for the international horticultural trade. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[ 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeAfrica - northeastern Madagascar.

HabitatLowland rainforest; found in a range of habitat but most frequent on midslopes, at elevations from 40 - 1,200 metres[ 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. ]. Steep upper slopes, and ridgetops in rainforest[ 314 Title Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. Publication Author Website http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website. ].