Dypsis hovomantsina
Beentje
Arecaceae
Common Name:
Madagascar
Photograph by: Henk Beentje
Image credit to Palmweb
Madagascar
Photograph by: Henk Beentje
Image credit to Palmweb
Soanierana, Madagascar
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
General Information
Dypsis hovomantsina is a single-stemmed evergreen palm growing up to 10 metres tall. The unbranched stem is topped by a crown of long, dark grey/green, plumose 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 plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. An attractive palm, which has a waxy silver/white crown with reddish fur at the top, it is grown as an ornamental.[
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.
].
Individuals are few; the whole population in the wild is estimated as fewer than 100 mature individuals. The species is threatened by deforestation from logging and expanding shifting agriculture and is cut down for its edible heart. Seeds are also harvested for the horticultural trade. The plant is 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.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Africa - northeastern Madagascar.
Habitat
Lowland rainforest; individuals are found on midslopes or near valley bottoms, at elevations from 50 - 600 metres[
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.
,
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.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 7.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in the tropics and subtropics[
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.
].
Grows best in a sunny position[
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.
]. Prefers a well drained position[
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.
].
A slow-growing plant[
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.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked[
]. The apical bud, known as a 'palm heart', is eaten as a vegetable[
]. The heart has a bad aroma when cooking, but is edible[
]. Eating this bud leads to the death of the plant because it is unable to make side-shoots[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Medicinal
The plant (parts not specified but probably the bark and/or the fruits) is used in the treatment of headaches, jaundice and hepatitis; and also as an aid to lactation[
547- Title
- Assessing Ethnobotanical Knowledge and Resources, Lokaro Reserve, SE Madagascar
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lehman A.D.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A thesis, in PDF format, by Ashley Davis Lehman of the University of Montana, Missoula, MT.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
