Daemonorops elongata Blume, Rumphia 2: iii (1838)

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Distribution

Scattered throughout the lowlands of Sabah; elsewhere throughout endemic. (Dransfield, J. 1984: The Rattans of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records 13.)A

Discussion

  • D. elongata is found in lowland Dipterocarp forest, usually on hill-slopes. D. elongata is usually separable on the basis of the irregularly arranged leaflets, the short stature, the long petiole spines and the usually rounded fruit. (Dransfield, J. 1984: The Rattans of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records 13.)A

Etymology

  • Elongate, probably referring to the peduncle (Dransfield, J. 1984: The Rattans of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records 13.)A

Uses

  • None known. (Dransfield, J. 1984: The Rattans of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records 13.)A

Description

  • Moderate clustering rather short-stemmed rattan with stems rarely exceeding 4 m; stem without sheaths c 1 cm diam., with sheaths to 2 cm diam.; internodes rarely exceeding 6 cm. Leaf sheaths dark green rather densely covered with chocolate-coloured indumentum and armed with abundant scattered or partially whorled black reflexed or erect spines to 30 mm, usually much less, with pale bases; spines around leaf sheath mouth erect papery to 12 cm. Knee poorly developed. Leaf to 1.2 m, usually with a short cirrus to 30 cm with only a vestige, petiole to 40 cm, armed with distant, regular, large later to 5 cm, sometimes much shorter, and scattered shorter spines along the mid line of the abaxial surface; leaflets up to c 20 on each side of the rachis, regularly arranged below, irregularly arranged above; largest leaflets to 40 x 2 cm, armed with 3 rows of bristles on the upper surface, one row beneath, and along margins. Inflorescences male and female superficially similar, with rusty tomentose axes in very short stemme individuals with a long stalk to 30 cm, in climbing individuals with a much shorter stalk; all bracts quickly falling except for the first which may persist, to c 12 x 3 cm, brown, armed with distant groups of spines; male rachillae to 1 cm, female rachillae to 5 cm. Mature fruit relatively small, usually ± globose, up to 10 mm diam., covered in 15-19 vertical rows of straw-coloured scales (green when immature); seed globose, c 6 mm diam.; endosperm deeply ruminate. Seedling leaf unknown. (Dransfield, J. 1984: The Rattans of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records 13.)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. 1984: The Rattans of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records 13.