Daemonorops cristata Becc., Nelle Forest. Borneo : 608 (1902)

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Distribution

Rather local on ridges and slopes in lowland forest. Also in Sarawak. Endemic to Borneo. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Discussion

  • D. cristata is a rattan of hill slopes and ridges in mixed dipterocarp forest. The poorly developed knee, crests of spines, the large erect spines at the petiole base, the regular bristly leaflets and the fruit with numerous yellowish-brown scales help to distinguish it. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Etymology

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

Uses

  • Not known. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Description

  • Moderate clustering rather variable short-stemmed rattan climbing to about 3-4 m tall only; stem without sheaths to c. 15 mm diam., with sheaths to 30 mm diam., usually less, internodes to 20 cm long. Sheath green, armed with partial whorls of brown to black spines and spicules, the longest to c. 20 mm long, and abundant deciduous tomentum; knee inconspicuous. Leaf usually briefly cirrate, to 2 m long including the petiole to 40 cm, and cirrus to 80 cm, usually less; petiole usually bearing very conspicuous large, close, flattened, ± erect spines at the base and by the leaf sheath mouth, the longest to c. 12 cm, usually much less; leaflets c. 45 on each side of the rachis, dark green, regularly arranged, gradually tapering at both ends, the longest to c. 35 × 2 cm, usually very bristly on all nerves, but particularly on the main vein on the undersurface, transverse veinlets rather conspicuous. Inflorescences ± erect at first, the female rather lax, the male more condensed, in all up to c. 50 cm long; prophyll and other bracts thin, unarmed; male rachilla c. 15 mm long with crowded flowers; female rachilla 7-12 cm long with very distant flowers, the flower cushions oblique. Mature fruit rounded to ± oblate, c. 14 × 18 mm, with a short beak and covered with c. 16-20 vertical rows of yellowish brown scales. Seed ± rounded or oblate, c. 10 mm diam.; endosperm deeply ruminate. Seedling leaf pinnate with 3-4 pairs of narrow leaflets. (Fig. 17). (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Materials Examined

  • BEL: Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6618. Without prov.: BRUN 15092. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Bibliography

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