Calamus longispathus Ridl., Mat. Fl. Malay. Penins. 2: 209 (1907)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_29666_3.jpg

Content

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Malaya present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Trengganu, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Johore. (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Discussion

  • Calamus longispathus is a local rattan, rather uncommon away from the Main Range. It seems to be ± confined to ridgetop forest in hill Dipterocarp forest where it forms dense thickets; it has been found on coastal hills at Cape Rachado, but the forest here is floristically similar to hill Dipterocarp forest. The knee on the leaf sheath, the dark green colour of the leaflets, the acute divergence of the leaf, and the large top shaped fruits are all distinctive features. Some sterile material might be confused with Daemonorops leptopus but the latter has petioles yellowish blotched with grey and a long cirrus is almost always well-developed. (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Common Name

  • rotan kunyung (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Etymology

  • Longa - long, spatha - bract (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Uses

  • Cane not used; young leaves used by Temuan "Orang Asli" for making cigarette papers. (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Description

  • Clustering thicket forming rattan, rarely climbing more than 7 m high. Stem without sheaths 1.5-2 cm in diameter, with to 3.5 cm. Internodes to about 15 cm in length. Leaf sheath grey-green drying straw coloured armed with sparse short triangular, black tipped yellow-based spines and scattered brown indumentum; knee very smooth and rounded, usually scarcely armed. Ocrea conspicuous, brown, tattered, 1 cm high. Leaf diverging at a very acute angle, dark green, subcirrate, to 3 m long. Petiole to 80 cm long spiny along margins only. Leaflets about 25 on each side of the rachis, regular rather distant, the largest about 45 cm long by 3 cm wide, long bristly on the main vein below; rarely a very short cirrus, 20 cm long, produced. Inflorescences male and female superficially similar to 1.25 m long with up to 4 widely spaced partial inflorescences; bracts long, conspicuous, somewhat inflated. Only slightly armed; rachillae with distant, tightly sheathing ± horizontal bracteoles. Fruit rather large to 3 cm long by 2 cm in diameter, narrowly to broadly top-shaped, gradually narrowed to the remains of the stigma, covered with 12-13 vertical rows of pale greenish-yellow to yellowish brown scales with black margins. Seed narrowly oval pointed at both ends, deeply pitted to ruminate, to 2 cm long by 1.6 cm. Seedling leaf unknown. (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae