Hyphaene petersiana

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Hyphaene petersiana, the real fan palm or makalani palm, is a palm tree native to the subtropical, low-lying regions of south central Africa.

Hyphaene petersiana
Specimen in northern Namibia, and the spherical fruit with cross-section
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Hyphaene
Species:
H. petersiana
Binomial name
Hyphaene petersiana
Klotzsch ex Mart., 1845
Synonyms[1]
  • Chamaeriphes benguelensis (Welw. ex H.Wendl.) Kuntze
  • Chamaeriphes ventricosa (J.Kirk) Kuntze
  • Hyphaene aurantiaca Dammer
  • Hyphaene benguellensis Welw. ex H.Wendl.
  • Hyphaene benguelensis var. ventricosa (J.Kirk) Furtado
  • Hyphaene bussei Dammer
  • Hyphaene goetzei Dammer
  • Hyphaene obovata Furtado
  • Hyphaene ovata Furtado
  • Hyphaene plagiocarpa Dammer
  • Hyphaene ventricosa J.Kirk
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. ambolandensis Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. anisopleura Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. aurantiaca (Dammer) Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. benguelensis (Welw. ex H.Wendl.) Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. bussei (Dammer) Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. goetzei (Dammer) Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. petersiana (Klotzsch ex Mart.) Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. plagiocarpa (Dammer) Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. russisiensis Becc.
  • Hyphaene ventricosa subsp. useguhensis Becc.

Range and habitat

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It is found in Burundi, Rwanda, the DRC, Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and the northern and north-eastern Limpopo.[2] Its habitat is open woodland, flood plains, banks of rivers and the fringes of pans and swamps.

Reproduction

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As with other Hyphaene species, H. petersiana is dioicous and the female plants produce copious fruit of around 60 mm in diameter. Up to 2,000 fruits may be found on a tree,[3] the combined yield of about four seasons.[4] The seeds germinate with difficulty but find saline conditions beneficial.[4] They develop massive tap-roots which draw saline water deep underground.[4] Though slow-growing,[3] they may attain a maximum height of 18 metres.[5] Typical adult plants however stand some 5 to 7 metres tall.

Uses and associations

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The plants are utilised by humans and animals. Repeated cutting of the growth point to obtain sap for palm wine production may eventually destroy the trees.[3] The stem pith is edible. Beneath the outer fibrous husk of the fruit is a core of white endosperm known as vegetable ivory, initially soft and edible and containing some liquid comparable to coconut milk.[5] The Ovambo people call the fruit of the Makalani palm eendunga and use it to distill ombike, their traditional liquor.[6] African palm swifts[4] and rufous-tailed palm-thrushes regionally depend on this species for breeding.

Similar species

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The species is similar to H. coriacea, which occurs to the southeast. It is however distinguishable by the shape of the fruit–round rather than pear-shaped–and the shape of the stem, which regularly bulges out below the foliage. B. aethiopum has a comparable stem shape.[7][8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The Plant List, Hyphaene petersiana
  2. ^ "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". apps.kew.org. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  3. ^ a b c Palgrave, Keith Coates (1984). Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: C. Struik. pp. 67–68. ISBN 978-0-86977-081-8.
  4. ^ a b c d "The makalani palm". tourbrief.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  5. ^ a b van Wyk, Braam, Piet van Wyk (1997). Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 52–53. ISBN 978-1-86825-922-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Shaanika, Helvy (26 October 2012). "Ombike – a potent traditional brew". New Era. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012.
  7. ^ Martius, Carl Friedrich Philipp von. 1845. Historia Naturalis Palmarum 3: 227, Hyphaene Petersiana
  8. ^ Kirk, James Tiberius. 1866. Journal of the Linnean Society. Botany. London, 9: 235, Hyphaene ventricosa
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