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Madagascar  Expedition  April 05


Jeff Searle

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To Gary Levine,

  This is to answer your following two questions about Dypsis marojejyi and D. coursii fruiting the time of our trip in April. (And then all crashed). The D. marj. was seeding and we did get some seed. I did get some to germinate also. As far as D. Coursii, they were fruiting if I remember correctly, but were green on the trees still, so no.

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Thanks Jeff.

Gary

Rock Ridge Ranch

South Escondido

5 miles ENE Rancho Bernardo

33.06N 117W, Elevation 971 Feet

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This was a really pretty moss found growing on the rocks and the roots of plants up past Camp #3 towards the summit.

  Any "moss freaks" out there? Stand up and be heard, what is it?

post-23-1151370763_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Finally, we reached Camp #3 after walking five hours.

post-23-1151371137_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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A spectacular view of montane forest on the mountain massifs of Marojejy. The highest peak here is over 2100 meters.This photo was taken just above Camp #3. In this area we also saw Dypsis lokohensis, D. cookei, D. coursii and forms of D. baronii.

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Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Dypsis cookei; was an extreamly rare palm to find. I only remember seeing 3-4 plants. It's very distinctive blue green narrow leaflets were amazing. This palm brought great joy to Bill when we found it.

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Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Same as above.

post-23-1151371890_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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This is Dypsis coursii in habitat. A solitary palm found only near the top, with very few in numbers. The leaflets are grouped and the fruit are large, unripe at this time. Notice the strong light over head due to the lack of large canopy trees at this altitude.

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Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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This palm had us really scratching our heads. Guy told us all that John Dransfield refers to this as Dypsis baronii var. Compactus. These were solitary palms, very robust in size and very few in numbers. A  gorgeous palm that I think would do well for the California group. Cooler weather I suspect. Seed also was not quite ripe yet.

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Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Jeff,

what an incredible trip and amazing photos! How much time did you spend in Madagascar? And that Dypsis andrianatonga, it almost looks like it's trying to climb up on something (and the photo in POM has a similar look to it). Do you have more photos of it?

Bo

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

 

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Another angle.

post-23-1151374208_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Bo,

   Hello and thanks for enjoying our pictures. It was amazing and if you only knew how incredible it was. The climb up these mountains were difficult, but what kept us going was the beautiful scenery and the thought that probably only ten "palm people" or less have ever  been this far up. You often look out in the distance in all directions, and realize that there are no other trails and no one has explored all this vast areas and what new palm species are waiting to be discovered. It was so rewarding !!

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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The green fruit of Dypsis baronii var. Compactus.

post-23-1151375637_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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No clue what this was. Anyone know?

post-23-1151375787_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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This other form was also growing near D.baronii var. Compactus. Except this crownshaft was smaller in diameter and instead of green, was a pretty creamy yellow with unusual brown lines or streaks that ran vertically on the crownshaft. We were amazed to see this.Wonder if any are in cultivation? Let me know....

post-23-1151376183_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Bo,

   I'm sorry, I forgot to answer a couple of your questions. Last year I spent four weeks in Madagascar. Pete and Bill were there five weeks I think. The Dypsis andrianatonga pic's. were my only two that I took. Looking back now, I should of took more.

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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We think this was either Ravenea sambariensis or R. robustior. We never did key it out. We saw very few of these up this high.

post-23-1151376912_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Closer detail of Dypsis baronii var. Compactus in fruit.

post-23-1151377086_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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A Dypsis sp. that we were not sure of. This photo was taken further back down at a lower elevation. It was apparently good tasting, but never the less, magnificent.

post-23-1151377497_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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I saw only one lemur while I was on this hike. OOhhh, please don't on my head !!

post-23-1151377671_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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The last piture of the amazing Marojejy Mtns. These guy's were such an important part of this first journey. Of this group, we had four porters, a park guide that spoke pretty good english and one cook. We could not of made this climb without them! Thanks again....

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Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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After we flew out of Sambava in the northeast,and sadly left the Marojejy Mtns. we headed to the Famous Masoala Peninsula. We flew into the town of Maroantsetra. This is looking down one or the streets on market day.

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Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Some of the local veggies for sale. Anyone care to take a guess at what were looking at?

post-23-1151450503_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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This is the main street through Maroantsetra.

post-23-1151450702_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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This is the office of Angap. Here we have to check in and arrainge to have a guide go along with us while spending several days in Masoala.

post-23-1151456877_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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One way of getting around.

post-23-1151457194_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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This beautiful setting is where we stay while in Maroantsetra. It is the Hotel Le Relais du Masoala. A very peaceful and relaxing place to stay. There are approx. 5-6 of these bungalows, and has hot showers.

post-23-1151457575_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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The inside of a room.

post-23-1151457703_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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The dining room, where good food and excellent service was an every day occurence.

post-23-1151458118_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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In Maroantsetra, we organized our trip to go by boat, heading towards the southern tip of the Masoala Peninsula to a remote camp on the beach. After a two hour ride, we finally arrived at Camp Tampolo. Guy had returned back to Tana and our good friend Pierrot had come along for this leg of our trip.  

   Over the next four days, we would head out in a different direction in search of some of the rarest palms that all of Madagascar has to offer. Our hikes would vary from five to seven hours out on the trail and lunches would almost always consist of sardines or tuna on bread, maybe a piece of fruit and a good chunk of Malagasy chocolate. We saw many beautiful palms in habitat. Some of these included, Orania ravaka, Dypsis forficifolia, D. carlsmithii, D. pinnatifrons and two species that are extreamly rare in cultivation; Dypsis beentjei and Satranala decussilvae. The latter two which were found growing together, were very plentiful and numbering in the hundreds. Neither of these two species were in flower or fruit at this time.

post-23-1151459782_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Our little rooms where we slept were very simple, yet very comfortable. These set right off the beach about 25 yards and can sleep either one or two people.

 Again, we had to bring a camp cook with us and all food and drinks. Collected rainwater gave us a refreshing shower at every day's end.

post-23-1151461322_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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The first afternoon Pete and I took this pirogue(dugout canoe) and went inland to check out the area . We saw a handful of Orania ravaka and lots of Dypsis forficifolia, in full fruit.

post-23-1151463313_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Looking into the crown of a Dypsis procera(we thought).

post-23-1151463644_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Dypsis forficifolia on the Masoala Peninsula. These palms were very common through-out our walks. Their fruit are a pretty bright red that then ripens to black. I was told  it was the only Dypsis species that has a red infructescence. This clustering palm grows to about twelve feet, in very wet habitats.

post-23-1151464138_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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A large growing Satranala decussilvae. These are robust solitary palms and is the only fan leaf palm found growing in the forest. When the POM book came out, this palm was not known to exist in this vast area. We saw hundreds of these plants over a large area.

post-23-1151464691_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Another view of a smaller Satranala decussilvae.

post-23-1151509045_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Dypsis beentjei growing deep in the rainforest. There are hundreds, if not thousands of these plants growing in this area. This is a clustering acaulescent palm that when the POM book was published, it was also not known to exist here. It can be recognized by it's dark green bifid leaves. We have yet to see this palm in flower or seed.

post-23-1151510163_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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Another shot of the same.

post-23-1151510321_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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A wet, tropical rainforest. This is what we experienced every day out on the trail. Most of these higher elevations were still virgin rainforest, but the French many, many years ago actually had built a railroad track that came out to the beach where they could unload their logs to be exported.

post-23-1151510859_thumb.jpg

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

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This is a fantastic trip you had. It nearly sounds like Dr Livingstone in Africa. Thanks for all the pictures and knowledge. I will ask my cousin Christophe, who is owner of hotel  Relais du Masoala, to plant lots of those palms in his hotel. He told me he bought a piece of land 2 hours away,  to build a lodge for people who want to be in the forest when the sea is too rough to be on and cannot reach the tip of masoala peninsula.

antananarivo madagascar

altitude 1200m

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