''Dypsis onilahensis'' is a species of palm tree in the family Arecaceae. It is endemic to

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

as is reflected in the species name (onilahensis) referring to the Onilahy River, south of

Toliara Toliara (also known as ''Toliary'', ; formerly ''Tuléar'') is a city in Madagascar. It is the capital of the Atsimo-Andrefana region, located 936 km southwest of national capital Antananarivo. The current spelling of the name was adopted ...

. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

Description

''Dypsis onilahensis'' is a

pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, and in ...

leaved, clustering palm typically growing in clusters of 3 - 10 trees with adult trees in ideal conditions growing to 10 – 20 m high in height with stems of around 15 cm in diameter. Stems are typically grey at the base and dark green towards the crown with ringed bands and surrounding the circumference of the stem. Leaves grow up to 2 m in length with up to 70 pinnae (leaflets) of 30 cm or more and arch pendulously downwards giving the palm a graceful weeping appearance.

Habitat

''Dypsis onilahensis'' is native to North West and West Madagascar as well as South-Central Madagascar. In the northern part of its range it may be found growing in riverine forest at between 50 – 300 m altitude and between 750m - 2400 m in riverine or evergreen forest remnants in the central mountains and southern parts of its range.

Conservation

It is classed as vulnerable in the wild. Although its potential native range is large the habitat is prone to destruction by fire. Numbers are estimated at less than a thousand. A population in the

Isalo National Park Isalo National Park is a National Park in the Ihorombe Region of Madagascar, in the southwestern corner of the Province of Fianarantsoa. The closest town is Ranohira, and the closest cities are Toliara and Ihosy. It is a sandstone landscape th ...

is well-protected, but numbers less than a few hundred individuals. Outside of Madagascar D. onilahensis is fairly common in cultivation in sub-tropical and warm temperate climates including South Africa, California, southern Florida and Australia.

References

* Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995. The Palms of Madagascar. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and The International Palm Society. onilahensis Endemic flora of Madagascar Vulnerable plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Henri Lucien Jumelle Taxa named by Joseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrier de la Bâthie {{Areceae-stub