New genus Tahina spectabilis discovered in Madagascar

[lucky1]

Seeds of the "self-destructing palm tree" available.

Newsletter from RarePalmSeeds...

This month's newsletter comes with a most exciting new introduction, not
just a new species but a whole new genus, which has been discovered last
year in the north of Madagascar and has now been formally described as
Tahina spectabilis.

Seeds of this magnificent palm are now available for the first time ever
trough rarepalmseeds.com under a controlled management program,
initiated by Xavier Metz, John Dransfield and others, with the Malagasy
authorities, and here is your chance to make a real contribution towards
the preservation of a part of Madagascars unique palm flora: The profits
from the sale of these seeds will entirely benefit the village near the
natural habitat of Tahina and will be used for sensible rural
development and conservation measures, so that Tahina can live up to its
name and be a blessing for those who live around it every day.

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h ... %26hl%3Den

Barb

[Dean W.]

Interesting, "self-destructing palm tree" does it really self-destruct?

Dean

[Knnn]

Barb, Thanks for posting this

Dean, These are monocarpic, ( Like the Caryota), once the tree flowers, it is at the end of it's life cycle.

Steve

[Dean W.]

Monocarpic, I didn't know that term. Thanks, Steve, you know your stuff man!

[lucky1]

Certainly a novelty item.
I don't think it blows up or anything like that.
From the one or two pix I've seen, it does look "destroyed" on top...like it had been hit by lightning

Wonder what a non-habitat specimen will look like.
Barb