Chrysalidocarpus sanctaemariae (J.Dransf.) Eiserhardt & W.J.Baker

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident

Distribution

Known only from Î;le Sainte-Marie.

Vernacular

Not recorded.

Diagnostic

forma inflorescentiae floribus staminatis 6-staminibus D. boivinianae affinis sed foliis epetiolatis, integris-bifidis, vel foliolis approximatis non fasciculatis, rachillis gracilioribus bracteis inconspicuis distincta.

Conservation

Critical; known from a single population. The Forêt d'Ambohidena is under threat by the development of a new resort hotel.

General Description

Clustering palm of the forest undergrowth. STEMS to 2.5 m tall, c. 2 cm diam.; internodes c. 3 cm long, basally grey-brown, distally green, with scattered brown scales. LEAVES c. 8 in crown, porrect, forming a shuttlecock and tending to trap litter; sheath yellow green or crimson, 17-20 cm long, 02-Mar cm diam., densely covered in evenly spaced red-brown scales, auricles triangular, 0.5-2.5 x -1 2 cm; petiole absent; blade to 120 cm long, entire, bifid, or with 2 very broad leaflets on one side of the rachis, the apical cleft to 48 cm deep, or irregularly divided into leaflets; costa or rachis 80-88 cm long, 07-Sep mm wide at the base, abaxially densely covered with red-brown scales; leaflets very variable in width, to 10 on each side of the rachis, proximal leaflets 35 x 0.5 cm, then leaflets increasing in length and width towards the middle of the leaf, where 44 x 2.3 cm, then decreasing in length to the broad distal pair to 26.5 x 3.5 cm, adaxial surface with very sparse minute brown punctiform scales along major veins, abaxially with abundant brown punctiform scales and bands of looser brown scales. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, branched to one order; peduncle 41-45 cm long, erect or strongly reflexed, c. 10 mm wide at the base, tapering to 04-Jun mm wide distally, thinly covered with red-brown tomentum; prophyll inserted 8.5-10 cm above the base of the peduncle, 18-36 x 1.2-1.3 cm, striate, sparsely covered with red-brown scales; peduncular bract inserted at least 14 cm above the insertion of the prophyll, 25 x 2 cm when split and opened out, scaly as the prophyll; rachis Nov-13 cm, 04-Jun mm diam. at the base, red-brown tomentose; rachillae 5-6, pendulous, 30-40 cm long, c. 3.5 mm diam. when fresh, shrinking to c. 2 mm diam. in dried specimens, with a basal bare portion 01-Jun cm long, surface with scattered short brown hairs; triads c. 2 mm distant, partially sunken in shallow pits, the rachilla bracts inconspicuous, c. 0.5 x 2.5 mm. STAMINATE FLOWER buds bluntly pointed, c. 2.5 x 1.5 mm; sepals rounded, 1.5 x 1.5 mm, irregularly keeled; petals 2.5 x 1.5 mm, triangular; stamens 6, filaments (in bud) 0.7 mm long, anthers 1.5 x 0.5 mm; pistillode conical, trifid, minute. PISTILLATE FLOWER 4 x 2.5 mm;

Biology

White sand forest; 20 m.