Calamus bachmaensis A.J.Hend., N.K.Ban & N.Q.Dung, Palms (1999+) 52(4): 189 (2008)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Vietnam
Central Vietnam in Thua Thien-Hue in Bach Ma National Park, in lowland forest on limestone soils at low elevations. (Henderson, A.J., Ban, N.K. & Dung, N.Q. 2008: New species of Calamus (Palmae) from Vietnam. – Palms; Journal of the International Palm Society 52(4): 187-197)A

Discussion

  • In Evans et al. (2002) the specimens cited here will key to Calamus dioicus Lour. The neotype of this (Pierre 4834, designated by Evans et al., 2002) comes from the southern part of Vietnam, "in montibus Chiao-Xhan", in present-day Bien Hoa. Identical specimens have been recently recollected from nearby Dong Nai (Henderson et al. 3402, 3406). Interpreted from the neotype and these two recent collections, Calamus dioicus is a small rattan having distinctive leaves with 4 cm long, membranous ocreas, no petioles, and linear pinnae arranged in three (rarely two), distant groups along the rachis with the basal pair of pinnae swept back across the sheath and the apical pair of pinnae not joined. We have examined another specimen of C. dioicus cited by Evans et al., Poilane 5042 at P and VNM, and these are also an exact match. However, we have not seen the P sheet of Poilane 5042 with a staminate inflorescence, which Evans et al., because of the long inflorescence, considered might belong to another species. However, Gagnepain and Conrard (1937) described this inflorescence as 1.5 m long, and we have seen such long staminate inflorescences of C. dioicus in the field.

    Evans et al. (2002) cited another specimen of Calamus dioicus (Newman 158) from Bach Ma National Park, at least 500 km north of Bien Hoa and Dong Nai. However, this, and an additional specimen from Bach Ma (Henderson et al. 3263) differ from Calamus dioicus in their 1 mm long ocreas, 8-15 cm long petioles, and lanceolate pinnae more or less regularly arranged with the basal pair of pinnae not swept back across the sheaths and the apical pair of pinnae joined at their bases for ca. one third their length. These two specimens are recognized here as a new species, C. bachmaensis.

    Unfortunately, Evans et al. (2003) used Pierre 4834 and Newman 158 to provide a description of Calamus dioicus - their description thus becomes a mixture of C. dioicus (leaves) and C. bachmaensis (leaves and staminate inflorescences).

    By its climbing stems, flagellate sheaths, ecirrate leaves, flagellate inflorescences, tubular partial inflorescence bracts, and non-pedicellate floral bracteoles, Calamus bachmaensis belongs to Beccari's (1908) Group V.
    (Henderson, A.J., Ban, N.K. & Dung, N.Q. 2008: New species of Calamus (Palmae) from Vietnam. – Palms; Journal of the International Palm Society 52(4): 187-197)A

Common Name

  • May cam tre, may tre. (Henderson, A.J., Ban, N.K. & Dung, N.Q. 2008: New species of Calamus (Palmae) from Vietnam. – Palms; Journal of the International Palm Society 52(4): 187-197)A

Description

  • Stems clustered, climbing, 10 m tall, 1.3 cm diameter with sheaths. Leaf sheaths closed and tubular, green, without tomentum, with densely arranged, reddish-brown, flattened spines to 1 cm long, interspersed among many smaller spines; ocreas ca. 1 mm high, densely covered with reddish-brown, needle-like spines to 0.8 cm long; knees obscure; flagella 1 m long; petioles 8-15 cm long, with recurved spines on the margins and abaxially; rachis 24-25 cm long, spiny as the petioles; cirri absent; pinnae 4-6 per side of rachis, 14-30 cm long, 2-3.5 cm wide at the middle, lanceolate, more or less regularly arranged, the apical pair joined at their bases for ca. one third their length, sparsely bristly on the margins and veins adaxially. Staminate inflorescences to 80 cm long, pendulous, flagellate, branched to 2 orders, with 1-3 partial inflorescences; prophylls 15-17 cm long, tubular, split at apex only, scarcely spiny; partial inflorescence bracts tubular, not splitting laterally; rachillae 6-9, 2-5 cm long; rachillae bracts 1.5 mm high, apiculate; floral bracteoles cupular, 2-lobed; staminate flowers 5.5 mm long; calyx tubular, 2.5 mm long, briefly 3-lobed; corolla 5.5 mm long, split almost to the base into 3 valvate petals; stamens 6; filaments inflexed at the apices; pistillode minute; pistillate inflorescences 80-104 cm long, pendulous, flagellate, branched to 2 orders, with 1-2 partial inflorescences; prophylls 17 cm long; partial inflorescence bracts tubular, splitting laterally, densely spiny on outer surfaces; rachillae 14-19, 1.5-4 cm long; rachillae bracts 1 mm high, apiculate; floral bracteoles cupular, 2-lobed; old pistillate flowers 2 mm long; calyx 2 mm long, briefly 3-lobed at the apex; corolla 1.5 mm long; fruits immature. (Henderson, A.J., Ban, N.K. & Dung, N.Q. 2008: New species of Calamus (Palmae) from Vietnam. – Palms; Journal of the International Palm Society 52(4): 187-197)A

Materials Examined

  • Vietnam. Thua Thien-Hue: Bach Ma National Park, 16°14'N, 107°52'E, ca. 100 m, 12 Apr 2007, A. Henderson, Nguyen Quoc Dung, Phan Doan Vong, Phan Quyet, & Le Van Bo 3263 (Holotypus: HN! Isotypi: K! NY!).

    Vietnam. Thua Thien-Hue: Bach Ma National Park, Khe Don, 200 m, 19 Jan 1990, Newman 158 (K). (Henderson, A.J., Ban, N.K. & Dung, N.Q. 2008: New species of Calamus (Palmae) from Vietnam. – Palms; Journal of the International Palm Society 52(4): 187-197)A

Bibliography

    A. Henderson, A.J., Ban, N.K. & Dung, N.Q. 2008: New species of Calamus (Palmae) from Vietnam. – Palms; Journal of the International Palm Society 52(4): 187-197