Traveller's Palm, Ranomafana, Madagascar
Not the most charming picture of this iconic plant, due to the power lines and another plant obstructing the base. It's probably the best known plant of Madagascar, easy to identify by its enormous fan-shaped leafs that sit at the end of enormous stems.
Another reason for its fame is due to the many ways in which it can benefit people. Some uses explained to us:
- As an umbrella
- Using the giant leafs as a "table" during traditional dining
- As roof coverage
- As an emergency water supply (each leaf base stores water)
- Using slices of the leaf to fold that into an improvised cup (to drink water) or as a scoop for food
It's important to note that in Madagascar, using plants for human benefit is not some distant tradition that is now surpassed by the industrial exploitation of plants. It still very much is a current practice. Most Malagasy directly rely on plants for daily survival, it is also often their only access to fuel, healthcare and building materials.
"Ravenala madagascariensis" is a species of plant from Madagascar. It is not a true palm but a member of the bird-of-paradise family, Strelitziaceae. "Ravenala madagascariensis" is the sole member of its genus, and is closely related to the southern African genus "Strelitzia" and the South American genus "Phenakospermum". Some older classifications include these genera in the banana family.
