Calamus flabellatus Becc., Malesia 3: 62 (1886)

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Distribution

Scattered throughout Brunei. Elsewhere throughout Borneo, local in Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Discussion

  • C. flabellatus is primarily a plant of lowland dipterocarp forest at altitudes up to c. 500 m above sea level. Some forms retain the juvenile leaves consisting of a single pair of broad leaflets, even in high-climbing stems. This form was described by Beccari asC. flabellatus. Furtado named those forms with several pairs of leaflets as C. flabelloides. We now have a wide range of specimens of both forms and intermediates have been collected. It is noteworthy that inflorescences have never been found on the form with a single pair of leaflets. This species could be confused with C. javensis and its allies; the inflorescence of C. flabelloides is much finer, young leaves are pale green rather than pinkish and the curious dull bluish-green cast to the leaves of C. flabelloides is absent in C. javensis. C. gonospermus is superficially similar but has well defined petioles. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Etymology

  • Flabellate, fan-shaped (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Common Name

  • Wi Takong (Ib.) (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Uses

  • An excellent small-diameter cane, useful for binding or weaving. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Description

  • Slender clustering rattan climbing to 20 m or more; stem without sheaths to 6 mm diam., with sheaths to 12 mm, internodes to 15 cm. All parts drying dark dirty-coloured. Sheaths dark green with scattered reflexed broad-based spines to 5 mm; knee prominent; ocrea inconspicuous. Flagellum to 2 m. Leaf ecirrate, to 60 cm; petiole short or absent; leaflets 3-4 on each side of the rachis or leaf bearing a single pair of leaflets, lowermost pair of leaflets, where more than 1 pair, to 10 × 1.5 cm, reflexed across the stem; mid leaf leaflets to 17 × 4 cm; apical pair joined for 1/3 to 2/3 their length; leaflets bristly only at the tips, surface bluish-grey tinged, transverse veinlets conspicuous. Inflorescences to c. 1.2 m with c. 6 partial inflorescences, tending to be longer in the female. Ripe fruit spherical to ovoid, to 11 × 7 mm, with beak to 2 mm, covered in 10-12 vertical rows of greenish scales. Seed ovoid, shallowly pitted; endosperm homogeneous. Seedling leaf not known. (Fig. 56). (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Materials Examined

  • BEL: Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6592. TEM: Johns 6520; Amo, Bt.Belalong, Wong 1383; Amo, Bukit Tudal, Davis 460. Without prov.: BRUN 15123; BRUN 15484. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam