Calamus tenompokensis
Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) tenompokensis (teh-nohm-poh-KEHN-siss) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tenompok, Sabah, Malaysia. Paired terminal leaflets. by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb. | |||||||
Scientific Classification | |||||||
| |||||||
Synonyms | |||||||
| |||||||
Native Continent | |||||||
| |||||||
Morphology | |||||||
| |||||||
Culture | |||||||
| |||||||
Survivability index | |||||||
| |||||||
Common names | |||||||
|
Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Local in montane forest on G Mulu. Elsewhere on Kinabalu and the Crocker Range in Sabah. Endemic to Borneo. C. tenompokensis is locally abundant in valley bottoms in lower montane forest at altitudes from 1200 to about 1800 m.
Description
Clustering, moderate short-stemmed montane rattan with stems to 2 m only, very rarely longer; stem without sheaths to 10 mm in diam., with sheaths to 20 mm in diam., internodes short, generally not more than about 10 cm long. Sheaths dull green, covered in copious brown indumentum and abundant large flat horizontal spines varying from 5-30 mm, with hairy margins, the spines usually scattered but sometimes partially whorled; knee poorly developed; ocrea very conspicuous to 15 cm, spiny, brown tomentose, and tattering. Flagellum usually absent, rarely longer than 1 m when present. Leaf ecirrate to 1 m including the robust petiole to 30 cm; petiole armed with distant long spines to 4 cm; leaflets ± regularly arranged, up to 10 on each side of the rachis, apical pair joined for about 2/3 their length, longest leaflets to 35 x 5 cm, bearing short spinules along the margins and a tuft of orange-brown hairs on the undersurface by the rachis, transverse veinlets conspicuous; young leaves pinkish. Inflorescences generally shorter than the leaves, but in robust long stemmed individuals up to 2 m long; partial inflorescences up to about 8, generally crowded near the inflorescence tip; male rachillae to 50 x 1.5 mm, female to 70 x 2.5 mm. Mature fruit ovoid, about 8 x 7 mm with a beak 2 x 1 mm, and covered in 18 vertical rows of yellowish-brown scales with darker margins. Seed 6 x 5 x 4 mm; endosperm homogeneous. Seedling leaf not known. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Sarawak. 1992)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
C. tenompokensis is locally abundant in valley bottoms in lower montane forest at altitudes from 1200 to about 1800 m. It can readily be distinguished by its generally low stature, large leaves with conspicuous petioles and the broad ± regularly arranged leaflets. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Sarawak. 1992)/Palmweb.
Culture
Comments and Curiosities
Etymology: After the type locality on Kinabalu.
External Links
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.