Calamus conirostris Becc., Fl. Brit. India 6: 461 (1893)

Primary tabs

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Borneo present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Malaya present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Sumatera present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Widespread and locally abundant in Brunei. Elsewhere widespread throughout Borneo, local in Sumatra, rare in Peninsular Malaysia. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Discussion

  • C. conirostris is found from the lowlands up to c. 900 m in the mountains; it is usually most abundant in poor ridge top forest or in forest transitional between kerangas and lowland dipterocarp forest. It is usually easily identified by its subcirrate leaf, the large spines around the leaf sheath mouth and the curious zigzag inflorescence.C. leloi can appear very similar but has an ecirrate leaf, is usually densely spiny and has a spherical rather top-shaped fruit. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Common Name

  • Uwai Pegit (Dus.), Wi Danum (Ib.) (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Etymology

  • Conical beak, referring to the fruit (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Uses

  • Local use only. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Description

  • Moderate clustering short-stemmed rattan with stems rarely exceeding 10 m, usually much less; stem without sheaths c. 10 mm diam., with sheaths to 35 mm diam., internodes to c. 35 cm long. usually much less. Sheaths dull green, armed with dull green, horizontal or reflexed sparse to abundant spines to 30 mm long and erect very large spines to 180 mm long around the leaf sheath mouth, pale brown indumentum abundant on young sheaths; knee conspicuous; ocrea inconspicuous. Flagellum to 75 cm. Leaf curved, subcirrate, to 2.5 m long including the petiole to 50 cm; petiole sparsely armed with short lateral spines; leaflets curved, regular, rather distant, c. 35 on each side of the rachis, the largest to c. 40 × 2 cm, decreasing in size towards the subcirrate tip, bristly on 3 nerves on the undersurface. Inflorescences erect or curving, c. 60 cm with 1-3 partial inflorescences only, the partial inflorescences appearing as continuations of the axis and the true axis appearing as a branch; rachillae congested; flowers relatively large, to 7 mm. Ripe fruit top-shaped, c. 30 × 20 mm, tapering to a pronounced conical beak, and covered in 15 vertical rows of jet-black unchannelled scales with toothed margins. Seed ovoid, c. 15 × 10 mm; endosperm ruminate. Seedling leaf not known. (Fig. 44). (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Materials Examined

  • BEL: Bukit Sawat, Merangking Buau, Coode 7679; Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6575; Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6587; Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6590; Sungai Liang, Arboretum Reserve, Wong 945. TEM: Amo, Stockdale 17; Amo, Stockdale 46; Amo, Stockdale 67; Amo, Wong 479; Amo, Belalong, Stockdale 4; Amo, Belalong, Stockdale 8; Amo, Kerangan Meritam, BRUN 15632. Without prov.: BRUN 15093; BRUN 15341; BRUN 15399. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae