Korthalsia scortechinii

Korthalsia (kohr-tahl-SEE-ah) scortechinii (skor-tehk-IHN-ee)
Photo-Malaysian Biological Diversity.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Korthalsia (kohr-tahl-SEE-ah) Species: scortechinii (skor-tehk-IHN-ee)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
rotan dahan, rotan semut, Wai kung (หวายกุ้ง), Wai dao lek (หวายเดาเล็ก), Wai sadao lek (หวายสะเดาเล็ก) (Narathiwat); Ro-tae-u-dae (รอแตอูแด) (Malay-Narathiwat)

Habitat and Distribution

Malaya, and Thailand. Penang, Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan,

Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Pattaya, Thailand. Photo by Dr. Scott Zona.

Malacca (Malaysian States), Singapore: Endemic. Apparently widespread and possibly overlooked, in lowland and hill Dipterocarp forest, up to 900 m altitude (at Genting Highlands), apparently favouring lower hill-slopes rather than ridge tops.

Description

Clustering high-climbing rattan branching in the forest canopy. Stems often more than 20 m tall, by 1.0 - 1.5 cm in diameter without sheaths, 1.5 - 2.0 cm with sheaths. Inter-nodes to about 25 cm long below, much shorter near inflorescences above. Sheaths dull green rather sparsely spiny ± entirely covered by the elongate inflated ocrea; ocrea dull pale brown up to about 20 cm long by 4 cm in diameter, shorter and proportionally wider on sheaths by the inflorescences, covered with scattered short spines, not exceeding 8 mm in length and usually much less, and caducous chocolate-coloured scales, sometimes almost unarmed. Ants usually abundant in ocrea. Whole leaf up to 2.5 m on juvenile stems, usually shorter on mature climbing stems; petiole about 10 cm, cirrus up to about 1.25 m; up to 11 leaflets on each side, rather narrowly rhomboid, up to 30 cm long by 5 cm wide, the upper V* only praemorse, dark dull green above, whitish below but not densely so. Up to 6 of the uppermost nodes producing inflorescences, each with up to 10 flower bearing branches to 25 cm long by 8 mm in diameter. Flowers not known. Mature fruit described by Furtado as being 20 mm long by 9-11 mm wide, covered in 16-18 vertical rows of scales. (J. Dransfield, A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Records 29.. 1979)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Clustering, moderate-sized, high-climbing rattan, frequently branching in the forest canopy. Stems to 20 m or more long, without sheaths 1–1.5 cam diam., with sheaths 1.5–2 cm diam., internodes to c. 25 cm long in mid section of stem, longer near the base and in juvenile stems, much shorter near inflorescences. Leaf cirrate; sheaths dull green, with sparse short triangular spines to 0.2 cm long, and ± entirely covered by the swollen ocrea of the preceeding leaf, red-brown indumentum scattered; ocrea leathery, swollen, to 20 x 4 cm, shorter and proportionately wider near inflorescences, covered in scattered short triangular spines 5–8 mm long, and caducous chocolate-coloured scales, sometimes almost unarmed, ants usually abundant within the ocrea chamber; petiole 10 cm long, longer in juvenile stems; rachis to 1.2 m; cirrus to 1.25 m, armed with scattered reflexed spines; leaflets up to 11 on each side of the rachis, regularly arranged and rather distant, rather narrow-rhomboid, the largest to 30 x 5 cm, the distal ¼ only praemorse, adaxially dark green, abaxially covered in whitish indumentum but not densely so. Inflorescences produced simultaneously from c. 6 topmost nodes, branched to 2 orders and each with up to c. 10 rachillae; rachillae to 25 x 0.8 cm. Mature fruit ovoid, c. 2 x 0.9–1 cm, covered in 16–18 vertical rows of dull brown unchannelled scales with fimbriate margins. Seed 1.5 x 1 cm, with a deep chalazal pit on one side; endosperm deeply ruminate. (Palms of Thailand)

K. scortechinii has been confused with K. echinometra', the latter species has highly inflated, less elongate ocrea armed with shining massive spines to 8 cm long, and bears even more narrowly lanceolate leaflets. Furthermore K. echinometra seems to be a plant of ridge-tops or poor soils rather than lower hillslopes. I have never seen the two species growing together. (J. Dransfield, A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Records 29.. 1979)/Palmweb.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b

Comments and Curiosities

Etymology: The specific epithet honors Rev. Father Scortechini - plant collector in Perak, 1845 - 1886.

Uses: Cane apparently durable, but of poor appearance.

This is one of the ant rattans in which ants take up residence in the swollen ocrea and defend the palm against herbivores (and botanists!). (Dr. Scott Zona.)