Tahina Palm
| Tahina spectabilis | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Subfamily: | Coryphoideae |
| Tribe: | Chuniophoeniceae |
| Genus: | Tahina |
| Species: | T. spectabilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Tahina spectabilis J. Dransf. & Rakotoarinivo, 2008 |
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The Tahina Palm (Tahina spectabilis) is a rare species of gigantic palm that is found only in the Analalava District of northwestern Madagascar. The species, which produces countless flowers and (after fruiting) dies, is sufficiently different from other known palms to justify the creation of the genus Tahina[1], which is now included with three other genera in the tribe Chuniophoeniceae;[2] the other members being found in the Arabian peninsula, Thailand and China. Fewer than one hundred individuals of the species are thought to exist.[3][4]
[edit] Discovery
The palm was discovered by French cashew plantation manager Xavier Metz and his family, who were strolling through a remote northwestern region of Madagascar in 2007 when they came across a flowering individual and sent photos to the Kew Gardens for identification.[5]
Its name is derived from "Tahina", a Malagasy word meaning "to be protected" or "blessed", being the given name of Anne-Tahina Metz, the daughter of its discoverer, while "spectabilis" means spectacular in Latin.[6]
It was subsequently chosen as one of the top ten species discoveries of 2008 by the International Institute for Species Exploration.[7]
[edit] Description
T. spectabilis normally appears much like other palms. However, when it flowers, which John Dransfield of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew estimates as occurring after 30 to 50 years, the stem tip grows a large inflorescence that bursts into branches of hundreds of flowers. The drain on nutrients this display entails results in the death of the organism within several months.[5]
The palm is the largest of the 170 palm species native to Madagascar, having a trunk up to 18 m (59 ft) tall and leaves which are over 5 m (16 ft) in diameter.[6]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tahina spectabilis |
[edit] References
- ^ http://species.asu.edu/2009_species01
- ^ JOHN DRANSFIELD, MIJORO RAKOTOARINIVO, WILLIAM J. BAKER, ROSS P. BAYTON, JACK B. FISHER, JAMES W. HORN, BRUNO LEROY, XAVIER METZ (2008). "A new Coryphoid palm genus from Madagascar". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 156 (1): 79–91. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00742.x. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00742.x.
- ^ "Giant palm found on Madagascar flowers itself to death", AFP, 16 January 2008 (hosted by Yahoo! News)
- ^ "Self-destructing palm tree discovered in Madagascar", "Associated Press", 16 January 2008 (hosted by CNN)
- ^ a b "Self destructing palm tree found in Madagascar" by John Eccleston, The Telegraph, 17 January 2008
- ^ a b "New Genus of Self-destructive Palm found in Madagascar", Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, January 2008
- ^ "Pea-sized Seahorse, Bacteria That Life In Hairspray, Caffeine-free Coffee Among Top 10 New Species Of 2008". ScienceDaily. May 23, 2009. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090522122314.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
