Calamus paulii J.Dransf., Kew Bull. 45: 81 (1990)

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)

Borneo present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B

Known only from G Buri on the border between 1st and 2nd Divisions. Endemic. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

C. paulii is found in hill dipterocarp forest at 600 - 800 m altitude, on slopes and ridges. It is an elegant species; it differs from C. myriacanthus in the much smaller size of all its parts, the very regular leaf sheath spines and in the form of the leaflets and inflorescences. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Named for Paul Chai of the Forest Department, Kuching (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Solitary small rattan, stemless or with a short erect or decumbent stem to 1 m tall; stem without sheaths to c. 12 mm diam., with sheaths to c. 25 mm, internodes c. 20 mm only. Sheath mid green, bearing numerous flattened brown spines 2-20 mm long, arranged in partial whorls or short horizontal groups, thin scales present between the spines; knee absent, ocrea thin, soon tattering. Flagellum absent. Leaf ecirrate, 90 - 120 cm long including petiole; petiole to 60 cm, armed with sparse spines to 20 mm arranged in groups of 2 - 4, spines at the very base sometimes larger; leaflets 12 -15 on each side of the rachis, ± regularly arranged, very broad with hooded tips, the longest to c. 20 x 6 cm, dark shiny green, somewhat plicate, armed with conspicuous bristles near the tip, transverse veinlets conspicuous. Inflorescences shorter than the leaves, to 50 cm, the male more highly branched than the female; bracts closely sheathing, covered with dense indumentum, unarmed or sparsely prickly; partial inflorescences c. 7 in male, c. 1 - 3 in female; male rachillae distichously arranged, straight or slightly curved to 20 mm; female rachillae few and distant, c. 40 mm long. Mature fruit rounded, c. 8 mm diam., with a conspicuous beak 2.5x1 mm and covered in 17 vertical rows of matt brown scales. Seed c. 5 x 4 x 3 mm; endosperm homogeneous. Seedling not known (Fig. 66). (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

A. Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak

B. World Checklist of Arecaceae