The Suicide Palm

According to various reports, a gigantic, suicidal palm tree was, discovered in Madagascar.

It has been, said that the palm represents a genus seen nowhere else in the world and a unique conservation challenge for a nation with a poor environment record.

The Suicide palm was discovered in 2007 by a French cashew plantation manager while he and his family, were walking through a remote northwestern region of Madagascar.

The discovery of the Suicide Palm adds an entirely new branch to the palm family tree, which researcher believes it is something that happens very rarely. Research botanist believes it is a spectacular find.

palm

A palm expert at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in Richmond, U.K. was astounded by the palm’s appearance, but even more surprised by a study of its DNA: Laboratory tests showed that the palm was

a previously unknown genus and species within a family of palms found primarily in Thailand, southern China, and Afghanistan.

The palm bears only a slight resemblance to other members of its family and, is the largest of the 170 palm species native to Madagascar, having a trunk up to 59 ft tall and leaves which are over 16 ft across, and when in bloom, there are hundreds of flowers towering above its crown.