Daemonorops micracantha

Daemonorops (deh-mohn-OHR-ohps) micracantha (mihk-rah-CAHN-tah)
Pasoh, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Daemonorops (deh-mohn-OHR-ohps) Species: micracantha (mihk-rah-CAHN-tah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Wijerenang (Ib.)

Habitat and Distribution

Daemonorops micracantha is found in Borneo, Malaya. Widespread but rather local.

Malaysia. Photo: Malaysian Biological Diversity.

Elsewhere in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. (J. Dransfield. 1992)/Palmweb.

Description

Moderate clustering climbing rattan palm, to 20 m or more; stem without sheaths to 12 mm in diam., when juvenile very much less, with sheaths to 25 mm in diam., internodes to 20 cm long, much less in exposed aerial portions. Sheaths of slender juvenile stems dull green, armed with scattered horizontal ridges bearing minute easily detached black spicules', sheaths of mature stems bright yellowish green covered in rather dense grey brown indumentum and armed with low ridges bearing minute black spicules, interspersed with golden-coloured spines to 15 mm, both spicules and spines easily detached', knee conspicuous, armed as the sheath; ocrea inconspicuous. Leaf cirrate, to 2 m including the petiole to 45 cm and cirrus to 80 cm; leaflets 25 - 40 on each side of the rachis, regularly arranged, rather narrow, dark shiny green, to 30 x 1.2 cm, sparsely bristly on main vein on upper surface and conspicuously bristly on 3 veins beneath. Inflorescences pendulous, to about 50 cm, usually about 4 nodes producing inflorescences simultaneously, followed by several nodes without; bracts bright brown, armed with ridges and spicules, all but the first bract quickly falling; partial inflorescences 3-6; rachillae densely covered in red-brown indumentum. Ripe fruit ovoid c. 20 - 25 x 18 - 20 mm, covered in 18 - 22 vertical rows of rather deeply channelled scales encrusted with dragon's blood. Seedling leaf not known. (J. Dransfield. 1992)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

D. micracantha is found in lowland forest up to about 500 m altitude, occasionally in forest transitional with kerangas. The minute, easily detached black spicules on the sheaths are very distinctive. D. micracantha somewhat resembles D. draco; for differences between the two, see under the latter. (J. Dransfield. 1992)/Palmweb.

Comments and Curiosities

Etymology: Very small spines. (J. Dransfield. 1992)/Palmweb.

Uses: Cane of moderate quality but too local to be of much importance; dragon's blood used formerly in dyes and medicine. (J. Dransfield. 1992)/Palmweb.