''Voanioala gerardii'', commonly known as the forest coconut, is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the family Arecaceae. It is a relative of the coconut, and is generally regarded as

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispe ...

within the genus ''Voanioala''. However, a team of geneticists headed by Bee F. Gunn found sufficient genetic variation within ''Voanioala'' to constitute at least two and possibly four cryptospecies. ''Voanioala'' 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 else ...

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 ...

, and 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 ...

. ''Voanioala'' is harvested for its edible seeds and palm heart. It is estimated that there are fewer than fifteen mature trees remaining.

Description

The forest coconut is a Madagascan tree that can reach 15–20 meters high in the wild. It is supported by a strong root base, and its leaves sprout from the crown. Voanioala can reach up to 5 meters in height. The leaflets are waxy, green, and stiff, and seventy of them can grow from each side of a leaf. The fruit grows in groups at the crown with a thick reddish-brown color. Each seed is up to 2.8 inches (7 cm) long and 1.5 inches (3.5 cm) thick and is longitudinally grooved.Larry R. Noblick in The Palm Journal # 212 (Fall 2016) pp. 12 & 13 Figs 1 & 3. A scientifically remarkable trait is that each cell has about 600 chromosomes, which is extraordinary for a

monocotyledon Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute one of ...

Distribution

''Voanioala gerardii'' is endemic to Madagascar, and is found in only the Bay of Antongil of the Masoala Peninsula, in the northeastern area of the island. It is extremely rare.

Habitat

The forest coconut is found in the bottom of swampy valleys, as well as slopes in

rainforests Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest ...

at an elevation of 200–450 meters above sea level.

Conservation

''Voanioala gerardii'' is critically endangered because of its scarcity. Only 10-15 trees are found. They are cut down for their edible palm hearts, and their seeds are used for market trade. They are also rare because of its poor dispersal of seeds. Habitat loss through agricultural logging threatens forest coconuts as well. The national park in Masoala Peninsula protects the forest coconuts on its property, and its future depends greatly on the effort of the national park. Its population is currently decreasing.

References

External links

Forest coconut (Voanioala gerardii)
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q13091350, from2=Q2700134 Cocoseae Monotypic Arecaceae genera Endemic flora of Madagascar Critically endangered plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Flora of the Madagascar lowland forests