Dypsis decaryi – Triangle Palm Seeds

Description

syn. Chrysalidocarpus decaryi & Neodypsis decaryi

Dypsis decaryi, commonly known as the Triangle Palm, is a solitary palm distinguished by its triangular trunk formed by the three-ranked arrangement of its leaf bases. It typically grows 8-12 m (26-40 ft) tall, occasionally reaching up to 15 m (50 ft), with a trunk diameter of 25-40 cm (10-16 in). The pinnate leaves are 2-3 m (6.5-10 ft) long, with stiff, upward-angled leaf bases that create its characteristic geometric appearance. The leaflets are rigid, gray-green to bluish-green, and densely arranged along the rachis. The crown is open and symmetrical, and the trunk is smooth, light gray, and ringed with leaf scars.

This species is endemic to a small region in the Andohahela area of southern Madagascar, where it grows in seasonally dry lowland forests and open scrub on sandy or lateritic soils. Its native habitat experiences pronounced dry seasons and strong winds, which have shaped its robust, drought-tolerant structure.