Palms in Madagascar

[bgl]

Photo 1: Small population of Dypsis decipiens off road to Fianara, Madagascar. This was an unexpected find.

Photo 2: This shot is of the landscape in the area of D. decipiens before Fianara, taken from a look-out area. Strange architecture and terraced growing areas and rice paddys. Great scenery!!!!

[surferjr]

Photo 1: Ravenea rivularis in fruit out of Isalo Madagascar.

Photo 2: This is a very threatened population of Ravenea rivularis grown in a river with Malagasy people sifting for Sapphires..This was out of the Sapphire town of Ilaka . This photo was taken from our van and temperature outside was in the mid 90's fahrenheit.

These pics look so much like the Seychelle

[bgl]

Photo 1: Dypsis malcolmberi in Andohahela Reserve. Some had very orange crownshafts after old leaf drops.

Photo 2: Dypsis malcolmberi with glaucous white crown in Andohahela Reserve.

[surferjr]

Photo 1: This is Bismarckia nobilis in habitat out of Isalo which is in south central Madagascar.

Photo 2: Bismarckia in habitat with unusual rock formation..there were thousands of trees in the area, some just burned by a forest fire but still alive. Most of them were the silver form but there were green ones also.

And sooo dry looking an area. It must flood annually as all the Bismarckia I've seen look best in a wet hot environment.

[bgl]

Photo 1: Ravenea krociana in Andohahela Reserve Southern Madagascar.

Photo 2: For those of you growing Ravenea krociana, this what you have to look forward to. It is a beast of a palm. I gained lots of respect for this genus as one of the true beauties of all Genera.

[bgl]

Ravenea sambiranensis with its classic recurved leaflets at Analalafa Reserve out of Tamatave, Madagascar.

[bgl]

Photo 1: Randy Moore posing by a young Dypsis tokoravina in the canopy of Analalafa Reserve.

Photo 2: Jeff Brusseau posing for this photo op of the only Dypsis tokoravina growing out of the canopy. This was still a relatively young tree. The only one we saw in Analalafa Reserve actually in sun. Some of grow us this as Dypsis jurrasic park.

Photo 3: Juvenile leaflet of young D. tokoravina. This palm has unusual spacing between leaflets and irregular leaf arrangement at this age. Jeff Brusseau is pictured next to this beauty was in awe of all the great Palms that kept popping out at us in Analalafa Reserve.

* * * * *

And that concludes the presentation for today. Presumably more to come!

[Kim]

My heart is in my throat.

[paulgila]

how does jeff b. manage to stay so clean traipsing thru all that jungle???

seriously,fantastic pix,this is certainly a treat for us all.thanks for your efforts in posting them,bo.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Thanks for posting more great photos Bo. Ravenea krociana blew me away!

[bgl]

Thanks for the comments. I know Jeff will appreciate them. As I've probably mentioned before, he doesn't have a highspeed connection. Not yet, anyway. This was Jeff's last e-mail to me, after he had sent all the 20 photos:

"Bo..sorry I got carried away...Next weekend we can do the Beccariophoenix's and a hard to ID Marojejya like darianii but maybe a new species...and some understory Dypsis..thanks Aloha Jeff"

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Thanks for the comments. I know Jeff will appreciate them. As I've probably mentioned before, he doesn't have a highspeed connection. Not yet, anyway. This was Jeff's last e-mail to me, after he had sent all the 20 photos:

"Bo..sorry I got carried away...Next weekend we can do the Beccariophoenix's and a hard to ID Marojejya like darianii but maybe a new species...and some understory Dypsis..thanks Aloha Jeff"

Wow, I can't wait to see the Marojejya photos!

[BS Man about Palms]

My heart is in my throat.

Ditto.

[deezpalms]

This is all fantastic stuff!!

Now I've realized that I need a krociana!!!

[JD in the OC]

Priceless pictures from what looks like an epic trip.

Thanks Bo (and Marcus)!!

JD

[pogobob]

Photo 1: Ravenea krociana in Andohahela Reserve Southern Madagascar.

Photo 2: For those of you growing Ravenea krociana, this what you have to look forward to. It is a beast of a palm. I gained lots of respect for this genus as one of the true beauties of all Genera.

Thanks Bo and Jeff for blowing my mind with Ravenea Krociana, what a terrific palm!

[LJG]

I see why Dransfield said he thought Jurasic Park is really D. tokoravina. This pic is a dead ringer for what I have as Jurasic Park.

Photo 3: Juvenile leaflet of young D. tokoravina. This palm has unusual spacing between leaflets and irregular leaf arrangement at this age. Jeff Brusseau is pictured next to this beauty was in awe of all the great Palms that kept popping out at us in Analalafa Reserve.

[Walter John]

Hello all,

I too am here to post some photos from this epic trip. My fellow palm society associate, Rocky ratpacker and IPS Director Phillip Arrowsmith was also a member of this team and he has agreed to the posting of some of his photos as well for the benefit of all. Thanks Phil. See post #1 of this thread to see Phil.

Phil and some others actually went on to the Seychelles for a day trip and I have some photos from there too which I will post under another thread.

I will stick to the game plan for now and present palm pics of species already covered in this thread.

Dypsis onilahensis and it's interesting places of growth.

There's a palm there someplace

[Walter John]

Now for some Dypsis prestoniana, a mighty plant.

Here's a good photo of Jeff Marcus holding an old inflorescence for scale, I hear that D.robusta inflorescence is almost twice the size as this...........

[Walter John]

You can't stop the Ravenea musicalis.

Thanks again Phil, we'll get some more for you soon.

[Tyrone]

Thanks for the pictures. I've been really enjoying them. Which loves water more, Ravenea rivularis or Ravenea musicalis? In both cases they're growing IN water. I think the only difference is musicalis germinates on the tree and the seed pops open when it hits the water, releasing the germinated seedling to the river bottom to grow as an aquatic, whereas rivularis grows on land, or does it???????? After looking at the pics of the R rivularis in habitat, you'd almost imagine them coming up under water too.

D onilahensis looks so green and delicate amid the harsh dry surroundings. I think I might give mine more full blasting sun and water them once a fortnight if they're going to look like that. They're an amazing species.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Gonzer]

Thanks Bo and Jeff. Those photos belong in a POM vol 2. Primo stuff!

[surferjr]

Photo 1: Ravenea krociana in Andohahela Reserve Southern Madagascar.

Photo 2: For those of you growing Ravenea krociana, this what you have to look forward to. It is a beast of a palm. I gained lots of respect for this genus as one of the true beauties of all Genera.

Thanks Bo and Jeff for blowing my mind with Ravenea Krociana, what a terrific palm!

Where can we put this in that yard of yours????? :drool: Break out the chainsaw! :drool:

[surferjr]

Priceless pictures from what looks like an epic trip.

Thanks Bo (and Marcus)!!

JD

It's pretty obvious that Jeff can not only grow palms but he's wise on taking images that are very crucial in identifying a species....much can be learned by us all!!

proper lighting

images of seedlings at the base

person in the image for reference

many different sized plants imaged

etc

Oh ya and he does not call himself an expert!!

[Walter John]

Thanks Bo and Jeff. Those photos belong in a POM vol 2. Primo stuff!

What about Phil and Wal ? not good enough ? Ah well, I'll just have to get more pics posted.

[Pivi]

Great pics everybody. Great pics Wal!

[Walter John]

This thread is titled Palms in Madagascar - photos by Jeff Marcus. If Jeff took the photos, apart from those I posted by Phil, stay with me now, then how did Jeff get in the photos ?, because it was Suchin who took many photos including some in spots not even ratpack Phil went, I hear she was quicker getting through the bush and down some of the steep slopes, which is saying something.

Thanks Suchin.

[Walter John]

Some more from Phil's camera, this is a serious Ravenea.

Ravenea krociana.

[Walter John]

A classic habitat shot of Bizmarkia nobilis.

[Jeff Searle]

It's been two years since my last trip there. Looking at all these pictures is starting to raise my bood pressure. Madagascar is simply unique, and full of mystery if you get the chance to go. Then there's all the palms to look at.

Bo, thanks for sharing Jeff's pictures and to you Suchin as well. And Suchin, how did you like Madagascar? I hope you had a great time !!

Jeff

[Dypsisdean]

I was oogling over that pic of D. ovobonstira again (I can't get enough of that palm), and it reminded me of another unidentified Dypsis I saw a pic of. I know it's a stretch, but the growing conditions are so different. The one on the left is full hot open Hawaiian exposure. Does anyone think there is a similarity?

[Walter John]

yes indeed Dean, quite similar.

Here's what I think is a close up of probably the same palm on the right.

[BS Man about Palms]

I think the petioles lay more flat on the Madagascar palm.

[surferjr]

I was oogling over that pic of D. ovobonstira again (I can't get enough of that palm), and it reminded me of another unidentified Dypsis I saw a pic of. I know it's a stretch, but the growing conditions are so different. The one on the left is full hot open Hawaiian exposure. Does anyone think there is a similarity?

I think your head on Dino!!

[Kim]

I think they look different; trunk, angle of petiole, color, curvature or bulging of leaf base. But they could indeed be the same, even with those differences. Now if you could compare flowers, that would tell you more.

[Gtlevine]

I agree with Kim, the two look different to me. Look how the leaves are more vertical in the Hawaii palm and are kinked where attached to the crownshaft on the Ovo. Trunk is also a little different.

Gary

[JD in the OC]

Trunks are completely different colors, but petiole bases and leaf sheaths are very similar. Leaflets are also very similar. That's a tough call...

[Dypsisdean]

There would be no way to know for sure (other than flowers), but for some reason I saw a similarity, that's all. Just thought it curious. But anyone who has seen the identical Dypsis species, one grown in full sun from a juvenile, and another in shaded understory before emerging, knows how different they can look. In the full sun a trunk and crownshaft can be very glaucous, whereas in full shade there is none.

Wal's palm was interesting as well. At any rate, that is one awesome palm, and I want one (or more).

[Mr Rare]

Gentlemen:

It is great to see some images posted and relive some of the moments we shared on that fabulous trip. I apologise for not having taken the time to organise and post the thousands of images I took during the 3 1/2 weeks we were traveling on the Red Island. I recently completed the conversion of the files and sent off a DVD of all my images to Jeff M today. I would be happy to post several images and share in some discussions of the trip when time permits. Hopefully I can do so over the Christmas holiday. Until then I must leave you in antisapation.

Jeffry Brusseau

[bgl]

Jeffry,

Great to see your post here! And I know that lots of people would love to hear more about your incredible trip, and maybe even see a few more photos. When you find the time...!

Bo-Göran