Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

Phosiso Sola 247

Distribution and growth

H. petersiana is found in most southern African countries (Figure 1) on alkaline,

saline, sodic soils and clay rich sands (Cunningham and Terry 1993; Sola 1998).

In Zambia, H. petersiana has been described as occurring in hot and dry valleys

in gregarious stands, on friable loams to heavy clays (Fanshawe 1967). In

Zimbabwe, Wild and Grandvaux Barbosa (1967) stated that this palm grows in

riverine areas and in locations where water is available. In Botswana, on the

other hand, the palm occurs in sandy soils, while in Namibia it is restricted to

windblown coastal sands (Cunningham and Terry 1993).

During the initial growth stages the palm concentrates on the development

of the underground stem and aboveground maintains little foliage of only about

seven leaves in an adaptation to low water table conditions. So, besides massive,

long subsurface roots that capture floodwaters the palm has a long tap root for

dry season water acquisitions (observation). Once the underground stem is well

established—a process that takes about seven years—the palm begins to develop

the aboveground stem (Fanshawe 1967). However, Sola’s (1998) study on sap

tapping showed that all ramets have an underground carbohydrate storage organ

from which roots emanate. It could be the development of this organ that delays

the aboveground stem development. After this stage the palm is able to produce

harvestable leaves of more than 60 cm, presumably because the stem is big

enough to support them.

Figure 1. The distribution of the palm Hyphaene petersiana in southern Africa

Source: Cunningham and Terry 1993.

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