Hyphaene compressa

There is a high concentration of Hyphaene compressa along the coasts of Northern East Africa, particularly Kenya and Tanzania. Additional countries with a high distribution of Hyphaene compressa include Somalia, Madagascar and Ethiopia. The palm also occurs to a lesser extent towards the Arabian Peninsula and India.[2] The Doum Palm is densely concentrated around lakes and river ecosystems of the Turkana Valley and surrounding National Parks in Kenya.[3]

The East African doum palm has expanded its range into the United States due to its horticultural interest.[4]

Hyphaene compressa is found in hot and dry climates.[2] The East African Doum Palm flourishes in tropical and subtropical regions with temperatures ranging between 36-38 degrees Celsius.[3] The trees are adapted to semi-arid to arid climates with a low annual rainfall of 150 to 600 mm.[3] The trees obtain water by having a high water table in which the trees taproots can access.[1] Hyphaene compressa thrives in direct light in open grasslands and along edges of lakes, swamps, rivers and oceans.[2] The soils of the doum palm are salty, calcareous and alkaline (pH 9) and of general poor quality.[3] The Hyphaene compressa is a woody dioecious tree that is slow growing and long living. Some trees can grow to be 100 years old but because of the high human interference this number is reduced to around 30 years.[1]

Hyphaene compressa is a robust tree that stands erect, growing to about 10–20 meters (35–70 ft) in height.[1] The tree can be said to be fairly fire resistant and drought resistant.[1] The East African Doum Palm is considered difficult to destroy because it grows bulbs and deep taproots underground that will allow the tree to regrow if it is damaged above ground.[1] Individuals of this species are dichotomously branched and the stems may branch about five times by full maturity.[5] Little is known about the dichotomous venation, the only other genera of palms to naturally exhibit this trait are the Dypsis, Korthalsia and Laccosperma.[5] The leaves are medium to large sized palmate or fan shaped and emerge at the top of the tree in small crowns.[6] The spiny leaf stalks and the fruit develop at the base of these crowns.

Fruits of Hyphaene compressa are produced after 30 years of maturation and can be harvested regularly every 6 months when the tree is between 40 and 50 years old.[1] The fruit is considered a drupe [7] and grows almost all year round, taking three to ten months to germinate.[6] The fruits of Hyphaene compressa are eaten by elephants, baboons, and monkeys (endangered Tane River Crested Manbey).[2] Elephants favour eating the Doum palm fruit and have become the major mechanism for seed dispersal in Hyphaene compressa.[1][8] The fruits are edible by humans and are highly packed with energy. When ripe the fruit appears orange-brown and tastes sweet. The doum palm can produce up to thousands of fruit per tree, each fruit growing 6–12 cm long and 4–9 cm wide.[1]

Almost all of the East African doum palm can be utilised, the most highly used part of the tree being its leaves.[3] Hyphaene compressa has a variety of different uses and is a vital economic resource in rural African communities.

The presence of the doum palm Hyphaene compressa has increased living standards in rural communities in which the fruit, leaves and stems are monetarily valuable.[3] Weaved products are sold and traded at local and international markets [3] where extreme specificity of skill and craftsmanship can be seen. Subsequently the marketing and distribution of thatched products creates a niche that requires retailers, wholesales and of course local manufacturers that understand the changing local market. For example in Turkana, a women’s co-operative society has emerged to handle the sales of crafts.[3] Although the East African doum palm has created a source of income for local peoples it is important to note that its economy is not stable or uniform throughout the region. Availability to Hyphaene compressa, ability to effectively utilize its product and skills of the regional people are all limiting factors.[3]

Due to the high importance of the Hyphaene compressa poaching of its leaves in protected National Forests has become an issue. There has been evidence since the 1990s of overexploitation of the trees resources.[3] Improper sap collection practices kill Palm trees and lack of knowledge on how to perform extraction is limiting the Palms longevity. Hyphaene compressa is in the process of being domesticated in some regions in Africa. Conservation laws to protect the tree from being overexploited have also been locally established as to ensure there is a lasting abundance of the East African Doum Palm.[3]