New tree species found in Madagascar (self-destructing palm tree flowers once, then dies)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/16/08 | Jonny Hogg - ap

[NormsRevenge]

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar - A self-destructing palm tree that flowers once every 100 years and then dies has been discovered on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, botanists said Thursday.

The name of the giant palm and its remarkable life cycle will be detailed in a study by Kew Gardens scientists in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society published Thursday.

"It's spectacular. It does not flower for maybe 100 years and when it's like this it can be mistaken for other types of palm," said Mijoro Rakotoarinivo, who works for the London botanical gardens in Madagascar.

"But then a large shoot, a bit like an asparagus, grows out of the top of the tree and starts to spread. You get something that looks a bit like a Christmas tree growing out of the top of the palm," he said.

The branches of this shoot then become covered in hundreds of tiny white flowers that ooze with nectar, attracting insects and birds.

But the effort of flowering and fruiting depletes the tree so much that within a few months it collapses and dies, said botanist Dr. John Dransfield, author of the study.

Dransfield noted that "even for Madagascar this is a stupendous palm and an astonishing discovery."

The world's fourth largest island, Madagascar is renowned for its unusual flora and fauna, including 12,000 species of plant found nowhere else in the world. Indeed 90 percent of its plant species are endemic.

The palm tree, which grows to 66 feet in height and has about 16-foot leaves, is only found in an extremely remote region in the northwest of the country, some four days by road from the capital. Local villagers have known about it for years although none had seen it in flower until last year.

The bizarre flowering ritual was first spotted by Frenchman Xavier Metz, who runs a cashew plantation nearby. After seeing it he notified Kew Gardens.

Puzzling Dransfield is how botanists had missed such a "whopping palm" until now. According to him it is the largest palm species in the country but there appear to be only about 100 in existence.

He also questions how the palm got to Madagascar. The tree has similarities to Chuniophoeniceae palms, however these are only found in Asia, more than 3,700 miles away.

Dransfield suggests the plant has been quietly living and dramatically dying in Madagascar since the island split with mainland India 80 million years ago.

[NormsRevenge]

This undated photo released by the Royal Botanic Gardens, shows a newly discovered species of palm tree on the Indian Ocean Island of Madagascar. A self-destructing palm tree that flowers once every 100 years and then dies has been discovered on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, botanists said Thursday Jan. 17, 2008. The name of the giant palm and its remarkable life cycle will be detailed in a study by Kew Gardens scientists in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society published Thursday. (AP Photo/Royal Botanic Gardens, John Dransfield)

[the invisib1e hand]

no comment.

[Alright_on_the_LeftCoast]

This one will drive the liberal whackos crazy..a Palm tree that commits suicide.....my god, the planet is killing itself, my god, what can we do to save this self destructing species..OMG....

[Westlander]

[Red6]

It’s global warming!

[fish hawk]

Maybe it’s in the banana family. Banana trees flower once and the flower turns into a stock of bananas and then the tree dies.

[NormsRevenge]

Maybe it’s in the banana family. Banana trees flower once and the flower turns into a stock of bananas and then the tree dies.

—

from the behavior at the end on this one,, could be ..

I hope someone got a shot of the flower

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

"But the effort of flowering and fruiting depletes the tree so much that within a few months it collapses..."

This can be understandable.

[ditto h]

When these trees go, do we know where Kevorkian is?

[Parley Baer]

Shades of the Century Plant.

[fkabuckeyesrule]

Interesting. My sister and her husband were medical missionary’s to Madagascar in the 80’s.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

[live+let_live]

It truely is a wonderful world. There is so much variety. We’re so lucky we get to spend a few years here.

[NormsRevenge]

I hear ya. If nothing else, maybe some of the kids and yute lurking on FR will look into it more down the road.

Most all of Us old farts don’t have the lifespan today to outlive one of these palms,, but someday , you may get to have one planted when you’re born and celebrate your 100th when it blooms.. cool.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I think we should name a flower after BJ Clinton’s baggage.
The Titan Arum would be best for her!

[the invisib1e hand]

Maybe it’s in the banana family. Banana trees flower once and the flower turns into a stock of bananas and then the tree dies.

I didn't know you could by stock in bananas.

***

time flies like the wind, but fruit flies like....

***

I think there are some scriptures about all of creation speaking the things of God. And other scriptures about man being like a flower...flourishing for a short time and then withering.

Pretty dramatic sermon.

A palm tree (if I recall) is basically a very big, slow motion blade of grass.

/my two cents

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Blooms once, gets deflowered and them commits suicide?

IBTYPBR? oh sNaP! if anyone figures that out!

[the invisib1e hand]

Blooms once, gets deflowered and them commits suicide?

didn't decipher your acronym or whatever it is, but the comment got me wondering...is there a species that kills a couple of dozen of the trees nearest to itself when it does itself in? -- no, no: that's not natural.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Imagine having one of these in your backyard. Some major news event happens, you dutifully excuse yourself from your normal FR correspondence and go take a shower.....when you’re done, the tree has flowered and written out its own suicide note. Man, that would suck.

[coloradan]

But the effort of flowering and fruiting depletes the tree so much that within a few months it collapses and dies

Like so many in Hollywood, apparently.