Orania zonae A. P. Keim & J. Dransf., Kew Bulletin 67: 185 (2012)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
New Guinea present (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A
Endemic to an area near the Asai River in the district of Manokwari - formerly Vogelkop in the Indonesian province of Papua Barat. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Habitat

  • Undisturbed lowland forest on limestone hill with elevation about 165 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

  • An attempt had been made to recollect this species from the type locality in 1999, without success. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Conservation

  • This palm is known only from its type. APK searched for it but without success. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Common Name

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

Etymology

  • After Scott Zona, American palm taxonomist and collector of the type specimen. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Uses

  • Outer wood used for arrowheads (Zona 1995 pers. comm.). (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Description

  • Large palm. Trunk 20 m tall, c. 27.2 cm diam. (dbh). Leaves 12 in the crown, spirally arranged, c. 4.3 m long; leaf-sheath c. 45 cm long, 7 - 8 cm wide, marginsdisintegrating into fibres, curly, c. 20 cm long, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface with red-brown tomentum; petiole c. 2 m long, with red-brown tomentum, margins massively disintegrating into a dense fibrous mass; rachis c. 1.85 m long, c. 3 cm diam. in the middle, with red-brown tomentum; leaflets elongatelanceolate, 61 pairs totally, regularly arranged leaflets held in one plane, leaflets c. 9 cm distant, c. 1.47 - 1.9 m long, 8.5 - 11 cm wide, adaxial surface glabrous, with thin red-brown tomentum on midrib, midrib robust, other ribs less robust; abaxial surface with dense white indumentum, dense red-brown tomentum on the margin, thin on the midrib, midrib robust, other ribs less thick than adaxial. Inflorescence spreading, robust, branching to 2 orders; prophyll persistent, c. 83.5 - 85 cm long, 12 cm wide, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface with dense red-brown tomentum, massively disintegrating into fibres when old; peduncle with dense red-brown tomentum; peduncular bract one, woody, persistent, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial surface densely covered with red-brown tomentum, c. 1.4 m long, splitting in the middle, disintegrating into fibres when old; rachis c. 2 - 3 cm diam., with dense red-brown tomentum; first order branches c. 109 - 110 cm long; rachillae thick, c. 45 - 50 cm long, bearing 90 - 100 flower clusters, bearing triads in the proximal 3=5, the basal c. 2 cm devoid of flowers, triads c. 1 cm distant. Staminate flowers white; with calyx of 3 united minute sepals; corolla with 3 free petals, 3 × 2 mm; stamens 6, 9 or 12, filaments united, dark-brown, c. 0.5 mm long, anthers elongate-lanceolate, pale creamy yellow, c. 1 mm long, in stamens 6 or 9 anthers free, in stamens 12 anthers united in 6 pairs; pistillodes absent. Pistillate flowers white; with calyx of 3 united minute sepals; corolla with 3 free petals, c. 4 × 3.5 mm; staminodes 6, c. 1.5 mm long; gynoecium dark-brown, c. 3 mm long, stigma of 3 elongate lobes, c. 1 mm long, brighter coloured. Fruits globose or bilobed, c. 4.0 cm diam., dull green when young, red when mature (Zona 1995 pers. comm.). 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

  • INDONESIA. Papua Barat. Manokwari: Sungai Asai between Mt Manggombo and Marwadibau (133°56.5@E by 0°45@S), 16 Aug. 1995, Zona et al. SZ 674 (K! holotype, BO, FTG, MAN). (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