"Clearly this was going to be an extremely exciting discovery, and I just couldn't wait to examine specimens in detail," Dransfield said in a statement.
(Related news photo: "New Sucker-Footed Bat Discovered in Madagascar" [January 8, 2007].)
The data and material Dransfield's team collected suggested that T. spectabilis belongs to a new genus within the palm tribe Chuniophoeniceae.
Henk Beentje, an expert on Madagascar flora at the Royal Botanic Gardens, was not involved with the study.
"The fact that [the palm] is described by some of the world's major palm experts makes [the find] pretty solid in my eyes," Beentje said.
"It will enhance our understanding of palm taxonomy, and a new genus is a substantial contribution in its own right—there are less than 200 palm genera known so far," he added.
"There might be new genera lurking elsewhere but I doubt if they would be as spectacular as this one."
Eggs in One Basket
The only three other known genera in this tribe are dotted across the Middle East, Thailand, and China.
The researchers don't know how the newly discovered palm reached the large island off the African continent, or why it destroys itself after flowering.
"The new palm is one of a small, select group of palms that behave in this way," Baker told National Geographic News.
"There is little evidence that the palm flowers frequently, suggesting that it might be rather long-lived and that reproduction is a rare event. It is certainly an extreme way to reproduce—putting all your eggs in one basket."
Conservation Efforts
Researchers have identified 90 T. spectabilis specimens so far, most scattered around a tiny patch of limestone forest just 820 feet (250 meters) in length.
"Our analyses suggest that only a very small coastal area would be suitable for the palm, and much of the vegetation in this area is highly degraded," Baker said. "Apart from a lone individual at a nearby village, no other localities are known."
To conserve the palm species, Dransfield and local assistants have set up a patrol to guard the plants.
(Related news: "Madagascar Creates Millions of Acres of New Protected Areas" [May 4, 2007].)
The Millennium Seed Bank and the Royal Botanic Gardens are also working to sell T. spectabilis seeds to raise funds for the villagers and help spread the palm.
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