''Rhopalocarpus randrianaivoi'' is a tree in the family
Sphaerosepalaceae
The Sphaerosepalaceae are a family of flowering plants including 14 species of trees and shrubs in two genera, '' Dialyceras'' and '' Rhopalocarpus'', all of which are endemic to Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially ...
. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
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 ...
. It is named for the authors' colleague and specimen collector Richard Randrianaivo.
[
]
Description
''Rhopalocarpus randrianaivoi'' grows as a tree up to tall. The coriaceous
This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary o ...
leaves are elliptic in shape and measure up to long. The species is not known to have any flowers. The fleshy fruits are coloured brown. They may be spherical or two-lobed and measure up to across.[
]
Distribution and habitat
''Rhopalocarpus randrianaivoi'' is known only from a few locations in the northeastern region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of Sava
The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally th ...
.[ Its habitat is humid or subhumid evergreen forests from sea-level to altitude.][
]
Threats
''Rhopalocarpus randrianaivoi'' is threatened by shifting patterns of agriculture which are causing deforestation. The species is not present in any protected areas.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15611902
randrianaivoi
Endemic flora of Madagascar
Trees of Madagascar
Plants described in 2006