Ravenea sambiranensis

Botanical Description

Ravenea sambiranensis is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree growing up to 20 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be 15cm or more in diameter, it is topped by a crown of 20 - 25 large leaves that can each be 3 - 4 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 tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of wood. Given the huge range of this species there is localized habitat loss through clearance for shifting agriculture and logging in some places, but this does not pose a significant threat. The species appears to be very tolerant of disturbance. There is also widespread utilization of the species, but this also does not appear to pose a threat. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' 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. ].