Dypsis lutescens

Dypsis lutescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Genus:	Dypsis
Species:	D. lutescens
Binomial name
Dypsis lutescens (H.Wendl.) Beentje & J.Dransf.
Synonyms
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Areca lutescens

Dypsis lutescens, also known as Golden Cane Palm, Areca Palm, or Butterfly Palm, is a plant in the Arecaceae family. It is native to Madagascar.^[1]

Description

D. lutescens is a small to medium-sized palm, growing to a height of 6 to 12 meters. It has multiple stems emerging from the base. The leaves are arched, 2-3 m long, and pinnate, with 40-60 pairs of leaflets. It produces offsets, and these can be cut off when mature enough as a propagation method.

It is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens in tropical and subtropical regions, and elsewhere indoors.

Areca palm trees are commonly referred to as the Butterfly palm, and has many other common names. But, the butterfly palm is the most descriptive as to the areca's aesthetics. The leaves curve upwards in multiple stems to create a butterfly look. They are sometimes used as privacy wall or fence. The areca palm is sometimes confused with many other plants in the genus, because of the palm family name,"areca." The areca palm, above all other indoor palm trees, is most commonly found in households.^[2]

In its introduced range, this plant acts as a supplier of fruit to some bird species who feed on it opportunistically, such as the Pitangus sulphuratus, Coereba flaveola and Thraupis sayaca species in Brazil.^[3]

Air quality

According to NASA and Dr. B. C. Wolverton, the Areca Palm filters xylene and toluene from the air. Wolverton also specifies that, at 1.8 meters in height, the plant will transpire 1 liter of water per 24 hours, thereby making it an effective humidifier.

References

1. ^ United States Department of Agriculture. "Dypsis lutescens information from NPGS/GRIN". USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?405626. Retrieved 2010-12-25. 
2. ^ "Real Palm Trees". Palm Tree General Description. http://realpalmtrees.com/palm-blog/a-e/areca-palm-dypsis-lutescens/. 
3. ^ Leonardo Barros Ribeiro & Melisa Gogliath Silva. "Comportamento alimentar das aves Pitangus sulphuratus, Coereba flaveola e Thraupis sayaca em palmeiras frutificadas em área urbana". http://pepsic.bvs-psi.org.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1517-28052005000100004&lng=es&nrm=iso.  (Portuguese)

External links

• WCSP, World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Dypsis lutescens
• PACSOA: Dypsis lutescens
• Part of this article was compiled from the Portuguese Wikipedia article.
• "How to Grow Your Own Fresh Air" using Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) (TED talk)