Beccariophoenix madagascariensis

Botanical Description

Beccariophoenix madagascariensis is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm with a stem up to 10 metres tall topped with a rosette of large leaves that can be 4.5 metres long[ 455 Title Flore de Madagascar et des Comores Publication Author Humbert H. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris Year 1946 - 1984 ISBN Description Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet. ]. The sap is tapped from the trunk to make a sweet drink that is consumed locally. Young leaves of the plant were at one time much sought after, being used for making a special hat known as 'Manarano'[ 455 Title Flore de Madagascar et des Comores Publication Author Humbert H. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris Year 1946 - 1984 ISBN Description Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet. ]. Their excessive exploitation greatly reduced population levels of this species, almost extincting it. Consequently, the tree has been classified as 'Critically Endangered' 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. ].