Dypsis fibrosa

Botanical Description

Dypsis fibrosa is a clump-forming evergreen palm tree that can have from 1 - 6 slender stems up to 9 metres tall. Unusually for a palm, these stems can sometimes form from 1 - 3 branches - these normally grow parallel to the main stems. The stems are topped by a crown of leaves[ 314 Title Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. Publication Author Website http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website. , 455 Title Flore de Madagascar et des Comores Publication Author Humbert H. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris Year 1946 - 1984 ISBN Description Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet. ]. The plant yields a fibre of very good quality. This was, for a short time, exported in quantity from Madagascar to Europe and other destinations. However, other more easily harvested fibres were discovered and there is now virtually no trade of this species[ 454 Title Useful Fiber Plants of the World Publication Author Dodge C.R. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher USDA; Washington. Year 1897 ISBN Description A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The plant is still harvested from the wild for local use of its fibre, and also supplies food and medicines for local use. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, especially in specialist collections[ 314 Title Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. Publication Author Website http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website. ]. This is a widespread and common species in the lowland humid forest of Madagascar and although there are some threats to the habitat and some exploitation of the species, none of these are significant enough to warrant any concern. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].