Calamus gonospermus Becc., Rec. Bot. Surv. India 2: 202 (1902)

Primary tabs

no image available

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Borneo present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Found scattered throughout Brunei, but always rare. Elsewhere in Sabah and Sarawak. Endemic. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Discussion

  • C. gonospermus has been collected in lowland and hill dipterocarp forest (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Etymology

  • Angled seed (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Uses

  • Not known, though the fruit contains a thick sweet sarcotesta, good to eat. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Description

  • Clustering, very slender rattan climbing to 10 m; stem without sheaths to 8 mm diam. (usually less), with sheaths to 12 mm diam., internodes 5-12 cm long. Sheaths dark green, ± unarmed or armed with scattered short bulbous-based spines to 4 mm, sparse deciduous brown indumentum sometimes present; knee conspicuous; ocrea inconspicuous. Flagellum to 1.5 m. Leaf ecirrate to c. 60 cm including petiole to 25 cm; petiole sparsely armed with reflexed spines; leaflets 3-4 (rarely 5) on each side of the rachis, the apical two close together, the proximal 1 or 2 close together but distant from the apical, lanceolate to spathulate, usually ± cucullate and with a pronounced drip-tip, rarely linear and lacking a drip-tip, the longest to 30 × 3.5 cm, the apical pair fused for up to 1/2 their length, dull green, ± unarmed. Inflorescences shorter than the leaves, without terminal flagellum, rarely exceeding 40 cm; partial inflorescences up to 5, each subtended by a loosely tubular, rather conspicuously bulbous-spiny bract, the male branching to 3 orders, the female to 2, the rachillae very short, somewhat condensed, the bracteoles forming rather large cups. Mature fruit usually 2-3 only per infructescence, large, rounded, c. 20 mm diam., tipped with a conical beak and covered in 16 vertical rows of smooth unchannelled pale brown scales with darker tips. Seed irregularly globular, acutely angled, 10-12 mm diam.; endosperm homogeneous. Seedling leaf not known. (Fig. 47). (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Materials Examined

  • BEL: Labi, Dransfield J. 6528; Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6613; Sungai Liang, Andulau F.R, Wong 490. TEM: Amo, Bukit Belalong, Stockdale 58. (Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995: The Palms of Madagascar
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae