Calamus formosanus Becc., Rec. Bot. Surv. India 2: 211 (1902)

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Distribution

Taiwan, widely distributed in lowland to montane rainforest, to 1000 m elevation (Henderson, A.J., A New Species of Calamus (Palmae) from Taiwan in Taiwania 50(3). 2005)A

Discussion

  • The type of C. formosanus, and the illustration and description of Beccari (1908, 1913), show a palm with irregularly arranged, distantly spaced, broadly lanceolate pinnae, and the rachis ending in a cirrus. This is identical with the isotype of Calamus quinquesetinervius and an image of the type and illustration of C. orientalis. Calamus formosanus was placed by Beccari (1908) in Group XV, and appears to be a member of the C. palustris group of species. (Henderson, A.J., A New Species of Calamus (Palmae) from Taiwan in Taiwania 50(3). 2005)A

Common Name

  • Huang-teng. (Henderson, A.J., A New Species of Calamus (Palmae) from Taiwan in Taiwania 50(3). 2005)A

Description

  • Stems clustered, to 20 m long and 5 cm diameter (with leaf sheaths); leaf sheaths yellowish-brown, densely covered with flattened, yellowish, upward-pointing spines to 2 cm long; knees prominent, swollen, spiny; ocreas short or absent; flagella absent; petioles short or absent; pinnae 18-19 per side of rachis, broadly lanceolate, irrregularly arranged (regularly arranged on young plants), distantly spaced 5-8 cm apart; cirri present. Inflorescence bracts tightly sheathing; fruits pedicellate, ellipsoid, to 2 cm long and 1 cm diameter, yellowish-brown. (Henderson, A.J., A New Species of Calamus (Palmae) from Taiwan in Taiwania 50(3). 2005)A

Materials Examined

  • Taiwan. Ilan: Fu Shan, Fu Shan branch office of Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, 26-27 Sep 1989, Boufford et al. 25112 (A, K, NY). Nantou: Sun Moon Lake, 20 Nov 1987, Chang 18552-3 (K); Round Lake, Candidius, 1918, Wilson 10004 (A). Pingtung: Bankinsing mountains, no date, Henry 522 (A, NY); South Cape, no date, Henry 587 (K); same locality, no date, Henry 687 (A); same locality, no date, Henry 1354 (K); Mutanshe, 2 Apr 1926, Saito 7901 (A) Taipei: Tamsui, no date, Morse s. n. (K). Unknown county: Dainamon, NE coast, no date, Price 1127 (K). (Henderson, A.J., A New Species of Calamus (Palmae) from Taiwan in Taiwania 50(3). 2005)A

Bibliography

    A. Henderson, A.J., A New Species of Calamus (Palmae) from Taiwan in Taiwania 50(3). 2005