Korthalsia rigida Blume, Rumphia 2: 167 (1843)

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Distribution

Widespread throughout Brunei at altitudes up to about 500 m above sea level. Elsewhere throughout Borneo, Palawan, Sumatra, Malay Peninsula and south Thailand. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Discussion

  • It may be confused with the closely related K. paucijuga, not yet recorded for Brunei, but the latter is much more slender, has no petiole, only 3-4 leaflets on each side of the rachis and a very small inflorescence with inflated primary bracts. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Biology And Ecology

  • K. rigida is found in lowland and hill dipterocarp forests at altitudes up to 900 m but appears to avoid peat swamp forest. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Etymology

  • Rigid (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Common Name

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

Uses

  • Mainly local use. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Description

  • Moderate rattan, clustering, frequently branching in the canopy, climbing to 50 m or more. Stem without sheaths to 2 cm diam., usually less, with sheaths to 2.5 cm, internodes to 20 cm or more. Sheaths dull green, densely covered with persistent grey indumentum and deciduous chocolate-coloured scales, and sparsely armed with triangular spines to 10 mm, rarely densely armed (juvenile shoots); ocrea to c. 4 cm long, tightly sheathing, ± truncate with a narrow tattering margin, rarely splitting, usually unarmed. Leaf to c. 1.5 m long, including the petiole to 10 cm and cirrus to 75 cm. Leaflets c. 5-7 on each side of the rachis, shining dark green on upper surface, bluish-grey beneath, the longest to 15 × 8 cm, borne on a short stalk to 2.5 cm, chocolatecoloured scales occasionally present on ribs on the undersurface. Inflorescences produced from topmost up to 12 nodes, highly branched to 80 cm, bearing c. 8 partial inflorescences on each side, each with about 10 rachillae; rachillae slender, inconspicuously tomentose, to 150 × 5 cm, dull dark brown. Fruit rounded, c. 1 cm diam., with 15 vertical rows of dark green to dull brown scales. Seed c. 8 mm diam., irregularly ruminate. Seedling leaf simple, dark shiny green on upper surface, grey beneath. (Fig. 1, Pl. 2A). (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Materials Examined

  • BEL: Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6579. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Bibliography

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