Korthalsia lanceolata

Korthalsia (kohr-tahl-SEE-ah) lanceolata (lahn-seh-oh-LAH-tah)
Photo-Malaysian Biological Diversity.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Korthalsia (kohr-tahl-SEE-ah) Species: lanceolata (lahn-seh-oh-LAH-tah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
rotan dahan

Habitat and Distribution

Malaya, Perak: endemic. This species is known from two collections from Kledang

Forestry Research Center Sepilok, Sabah, Malaysia. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.

Saiong near Ipoh and one from G. Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve, Ulu Selama, growing, in both localities, in hill Dipterocarp forest.

Description

Clustering high climbing rattan branching in the canopy. Stem without sheaths about 1.5 cm in diameter, with to about 1.8 cm. Internodes about 12 cm, longer in juvenile stems. Sheaths pale grey green when fresh, drying dull pale brown, inerm except for two vertical rows of short triangular spines to 3 mm long in a position lateral to the leaf insertion; pale grey indumentum thinly present on leaf sheath; caducous black scales abundant on young sheaths; ocrea short, tightly sheathing to 2 cm high, truncate, with margins thinly coriaceous, dark brown, somewhat tattered. Whole leaf including cirrus about 1 m in length; cirrus about 45 cm; petiole not exceeding 1.5 cm in mature climbing stems, about 5 mm wide; rachis with recurved black, pale bulbous-based hooks on the lower surface, these intergrading with clustered grapnel hooks on the cirrus. Leaflets up to 13 on each of the rachis, narrowly lanceolate, the first 3 very crowded at the base of the rachis, more distant above, the longest, 30 cm long by 2 cm wide, the fourth from the base; leaflet surface dark green above somewhat paler below, drying dull green brown above, and very slightly paler below; margins inerm; praemorse margins to 5 cm long only. Uppermost leaves subtending inflorencences with leaflets much shorter. Inflorescences produced from top 3 nodes, to 60 cm long with up to 6 partial inflorescences each bearing about 6 pendulous slender rachillae to 13 cm long by 0.4 cm wide, with mid-brown bracts and hairs. Flowers and fruit unknown. (J. Dransfield, A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.. 1979)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Clustering rotan high climbing to 50 m., branching in canopy. Stem without sheats about 1.5 cm, with 2.5. Internodes about 12 cm. Sheaths covered with grey indumentum and chocolate scales when young and sparse spines. Ocrea very short not swollen. Leaf to 1 m. cirrus to 55 cm. 13 leaflets on each side, very crowded at base, narrowly. lanceolate, whitich below, sterile. hillslope: Hill Dipterocarp forest. (J. Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew)

K. lanceolata is close to K. rigida but may be distinguished by the narrow lanceolate leaflets, the leaflets being much more reminiscent of those of K. scortechinii and K. echinometra these last two, however, have greatly swollen ocreas. (J. Dransfield, A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.. 1979)/Palmweb.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b

Comments and Curiosities

Etymology: Lanceolate - In reference to the leaflets.

Sexually, they are hapaxanthic, another rare feature in palms, which results in the death of individual stems after flowering and fruiting has occurred.