Orania parva Essig, Lyonia 1: 226 (1980)

Primary tabs

no image available

Content

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
New Guinea present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea known only from the type locality, with a number of individuals seen (Essig 1980). (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Habitat

  • Orania parva grows on well-drained slopes at about 60 m above sea level. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Discussion

  • Orania parva is the smallest member of the genus. This is a beautiful small palm with a simply branching inflorescence and a very long peduncle. Essig (1980) mentioned that it often flowers within arm's reach and although only the type collection was made, a number of individuals were seen in the surrounding area and agreed well with the type. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Conservation

  • Data deficient (DD). The palm is known only from its type and we have no recent information on the status of forests in the type locality. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Etymology

  • From Latin, parvus means small. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Common Name

  • Unknow (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Description

  • Small palm. Trunk 4 m tall, c. 8 cm diam. (dbh). Leaves spirally arranged, 200 - 204 cm long; petiole c. 2 cm diam., with dense red-brown tomentum; rachis c. 2 cm diam., with dense red-brown tomentum; leaflets regularly arranged, held in one plane, 23 leaflets on each side of rachis, c. 90 - 106 cm long, 5.5 - 6 cm wide, c. 8 - 13 cm distant, adaxial surface green, glabrous, with red-brown tomentum on the midrib and some of the other ribs, midrib thick, others slender, abaxial surface densely covered with white indumentum, red-brown tomentum on every rib and conspicuously on the base of leaflets, midrib slender. Inflorescence spreading, branching to 1 order, c. 1.18 m (118 cm) long; prophyll persistent, c. 38.5 cm long, 3.5 - 3.6 cm wide, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface with redbrown tomentum; peduncle c. 81 cm long, glabrous; peduncular bract one, c. 128 - 130 cm long, 3 - 3.8 cm wide, persistent, woody, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface densely covered with red-brown tomentum, splitting in the middle, from top to the base, heavily disintegrating into fibres when old; rachis c. 37 cm long; rachillae slender, 8 - 10, c. 35 - 36 cm long each, bearing 120 - 128 flower clusters, bearing triads arranged in the proximal half part, the basal c. 3.5 cm devoid of flowers, triads c. 1 - 1.5 cm distant, rachilla glabrous. Staminate flowers creamy white, with calyx of 3 united sepals, c. 2 - 3 mm long; corolla with 3 free petals, c. 5 - 8 mm long, 2 mm wide; stamens 6, 5 mm long, filaments always free, dark-brown, about 2 mm long, anthers elongate-lanceolate, pale yellow, c. 3 mm long; pistillodes absent. Pistillate flowers creamy white, with calyx of 3 sepals, c. 2 - 2.5 mm long; corolla with 3 free petals, c. 6 - 7 mm long, 3 - 4 mm wide; staminodes 6, uniform, c. 0.7 - 1 mm long; gynoecium dark brown, c. 2 - 4 mm long, 2 - 3 mm wide, stigma with 3 elongate lobes. Fruits globose or bilobed, c. 1.3 cm diam. when young. Embryo placed below middle line of seed. Eophyll bifid. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Materials Examined

  • PAPUA NEW GUINEA. West Sepik: Carpentaria Exploration Co., Frieda R., Telefomin, 4°40'S 139°55'E, 26 April 1978, Essig & Young LAE 74046 (BH!, LAE holotype). (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Bibliography

    A. A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae