The name of this species (Dypsis madagascariensis (Becc.) Beentje & J.Dransf. (established in 1995)) may be illegitimate because of the prior existence of Dypsis madagascariensis (Mart.) G.Nicholson (1885), which is a synonym of Areca madagascariensis Mart.[].

Common Name:

General Information

Dypsis madagascariensis is an evergreen, feather palm growing up to 18 metres tall. It can have a solitary, unbranched stem up to 30cm in diameter, or can form a small cluster of 2 - 4 stems. The stems are topped with a crown of 7 - 12 leaves that can each be up to 350cm long[, ].
The tree is commonly harvested from the wild for a range of local uses, including as food, medicine and a source of wood. An attractive plant, it is often cultivated as an ornamental in tropical countries[].
The felling intensity of Dypsis madagascariensis trees is locally high, but usually only mature trees are cut, which gives them some time to reproduce by seed. In many areas, regeneration is fair. However, as is the case with most other Dypsis spp. In Madagascar, the population of Dypsis madagascariensis has much declined as a result of forest destruction, and in national parks illegal cutting is still practised. Dypsis madagascariensis is not yet classified as vulnerable according to the IUCN system, but it is close to qualifying according to the criteria[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - northern and western Madagascar.

Habitat

Moist rainforest and semi-deciduous forest at elevations up to 650 metres. It can be found in drier forest than most other Dypsis species, even in gullies and ravines in dry bushland[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position or in light shade, in a well-drained soil[, ].
The plant has sometimes escaped from cultivation and has become locally naturalized in some areas, such as in Panama[].
A fast growing palm which does well in cultivation[].
Several other large-sized Dypsis species are cut for their timber used in house building, but most of these are very rare or have a very restricted distribution. The stems of some smaller-sized species are used to make blowpipes, fishtraps and bird cages[].

Edible Uses

The palm heart (the apical leaf bud) is an excellent vegetable[, ]. Harvesting this heart leads to the death of the stem since it is unable to produce side shoots[].

The fruits are edible[].

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[].

Other Uses

The wood is very hard because of an outer layer of tough fibres. It is commonly used for floorboards of houses[].
Only the lower portion of mature trees are used for their timber, as the upper portions and the whole trunks of young plants are too soft to produce durable planks. This lower portion is cut in up to 3 sections, each 3 - 4 metres long. The sections are split in half, and the soft core is removed to produce 2 curved planks. The bark is scraped off, and the planks are tied together in bundles of 4 - 6[].

Propagation

Seed - germinates easily when fresh[]. Pre-soak the seeds in water for 3 days prior to sowing - germination should then start within 2 weeks with up to 90% of the seeds sprouting. Growth is fast, with seedlings reaching a height of around 120 cm after one year, by which time they are ready to plant out[].

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