Dypsis ovobontsira this is a rare species that is now thought to be down to as little as 7 or 8 reaming individuals in this one reserve, although this species does not fit the type description 100% this is the type locality from which the species was collected, so i would say this will be the true species, possibly the plant material was quite old and the notes a little vague when the description was written in Palms of Madagascar.?

About the Name...!

Ovobontsira means mongoose palm, as this is a Malagasy name. When I first heard that the meaning for ovobontsira was mongoose palm or mongoose palm heart, and that was “All” I was told and knowing the meaning for Tsaravoasira means good with salt..!
And the local Malagasy people love to eat the palm hearts of ceracea, M.darianii and many of the other palm species, then you have hovomantsina, which means stinking palm! I thought to myself what possible taste would this be…?  As I thought that this was a reference to the palm heart tasting like mongoose to the locals. (Hey they eat Everything..! in PNG and in some of the villages in Vanuatu) So I had to ask the question was this good taste or not so good....Then I was given the full explanation.

The name originates from the habit of the mongoose making homes in the old palm trunks lying on the ground. In the local language, "hovotra" means palm or palm heart, and “vontsira” is the name for mongoose. So, ovobontsira is mongoose palm or mongoose palm heart. Another possible translation could be that when these palms are cut down and lay rotting on the ground, there is a type of white grub/worm that flourish inside the trunks that the mongoose love to eat. So the local Malagasy people often see mongoose digging inside these fallen trunks. So whatever the reason, mongoose are often associated with this species - hence the name "Ovobontsira." : )