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Glite Dictionary
Ravenala madagascariensis

Ravenala madagascariensis

1 9.9
Large tree-like plant from Madagascar with fan-shaped leaves, nuts you can eat, and leaf stalks that give drinkable sap
  • noun
  • Specialized
: Ravenala madagascariensis
  • The Ravenala madagascariensis, or traveler's palm, is a common sight in Madagascar's rainforests.

Examples

  • Early explorers used the sap from Ravenala madagascariensis as a source of drinking water.

  • Gardeners prize Ravenala madagascariensis for its dramatic, fan-shaped leaves.

  • The Ravenala madagascariensis is often called the traveler's palm.

  • Many tourists are fascinated by the Ravenala madagascariensis during their visit to Madagascar.

  • Early explorers used the sap from the Ravenala madagascariensis as a source of drinking water.

  • Gardeners prize Ravenala madagascariensis for its dramatic, fan-shaped leaves.

  • The Ravenala madagascariensis, or traveler's palm, is a common sight in Madagascar's rainforests.

Synonyms

traveler's tree
vsRavenala madagascariensis
  • US
1 9.9

A tall tropical plant with fan-shaped leaves that stores clear drinkable sap in its stems

uses the Latin scientific name instead of the common plant name
ravenala
vsRavenala madagascariensis
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall tropical plant from Madagascar with fan-shaped leaves and drinkable sap in its leafstalks

gives the full species name rather than the shorter botanical label

Surface Forms

Ravenala madagascariensis singular
Ravenala madagascariensises plural

Morphology

ravenala + madagascariensis

This is a botanical binomial combining the genus name 'Ravenala' (a Madagascar plant) with the Latin adjectival epithet 'madagascariensis' meaning 'from Madagascar'. If a learner knows both constituents, the species name is directly interpretable as 'the Ravenala from Madagascar' (a compositional origin-based name), so the meaning is transparent, although the Latin form may be unfamiliar to many learners.

Etymology

Ravenala madagascariensis is often called the 'traveler's palm' because its large leaf bases and stems collect rain and hold drinkable sap. So, tired travelers could cut a stalk and drink the water, which is why the plant became known as a helpful source on the road.