Arecaceae FAMILY Critically Endangered

Ravenea musicalis

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Ravenea musicalis is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree growing up to 8 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be 30 - 40cm in diameter, it is topped by a crown of 14 - 16 leaves that can be up to 1.8 metres long. The trunks are sometimes felled for local use to make canoes. About 450 trees have been seen in the single known site for this palm. The population is declining. There are a number of threats to this species including habitat clearance along the river banks for agricultural expansion and the plants and their seed are harvested for the horticultural trade. Palms are also sometime felled to make canoes. The plant is classified as 'Critically Endangered' 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeAfrica - southeast Madagascar.

HabitatSlowly flowing water, from 50 - 150cm deep, in lowland rivers at elevations up to 50 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. ].