Dypsis baronii

Botanical Description

Dypsis baronii is a multi-stemmed, evergreen, feather palm growing 2 - 8 metres tall. The sugarcane-like stems are clustered in groups of 3 - 5, they can be 12 - 22cm in diameter and are unbranched, each topped by a crown of 4 - 8 leaves up to 170cm 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. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for its edible apical bud and various medicinal uses. A very elegant palm, it is grown in Antananarivo and other parts of Madagascar (and occasionally elsewhere) as an 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. ]. The main threats to this species are harvesting for its edible heart and seed collection for horticulture. However, it is a relatively common species and so is classified as 'Least Concern' 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. ].