Calamus kiahii Furtado, Gard. Bull. Straits Settlem. 8: 251 (1935)

Primary tabs

no image available

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Borneo present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Montane forest in Ulu Temburong. Elsewhere in Sarawak (G. Mulu) and Sabah. Endemic to Borneo. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Discussion

  • C. kiahii is related to C. laevigatus var. laevigatus; from other montane rattans it is easily distinguished as the only moderate to slender montane species of Calamus with cirrate leaves with strongly grouped leaflets. In the sterile state, the rather even armature of the sheaths and the dark green plicate leaflets are distinctive. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Etymology

  • Kiah bin Haji Salleh, plant collector in the employ of the Botanic Gardens, Singapore who visited Kinabalu with Furtado in 1932 (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Uses

  • Not known; the cane appears to be of good quality but is rarely very long. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Description

  • Clustering slender to moderate montane rattan climbing to 10 m, rarely more, frequently fertile when still short; stem without sheaths to 10 mm diam., with sheaths to 18 mm, internodes to 12 cm. Sheaths mid-green with sparse to dense scattered broad triangular flattened spines varying from 4-15 mm, fringed with hairs. Leaf cirrate to 2.0 m including the petiole 5-12 cm long and cirrus to 80 cm; leaflets up to c. 12 on each side of the rachis, irregularly arranged in distant groups of 2-4, lanceolate, suddenly mucronate, dark green, distinctly plicate, the largest to 30 × 3.5 cm, with very short marginal teeth. Inflorescence without terminal flagellum, curving, to c. 70 cm, usually less, with up to 8 evenly spaced partial inflorescences, the male more highly branched than the female; bracts tubular, with scabrid surfaces and all with conspicuous ciliate-hairy margins; female rachillae somewhat zigzag to 10 cm; male rachillae to 2 cm. Mature fruit ± globose, c. 20 mm diam., with short apical beak to 2 mm, and covered with 18 vertical rows of pale grey to brown scales with darker margins. Seed ± globular to laterally somewhat compressed, c. 14 × 10 mm; endosperm deeply ruminate. Seedling leaf not known. (Fig. 37). (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Materials Examined

  • TEM: Amo, Wong 1812. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae