Calamus oxleyanus var. oxleyanus

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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
Myanmar present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Sumatera present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Thailand present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Restricted to kerangas forest on ridges in Ulu Ingei at about 190-200 m above sea level. Elsewhere in Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Discussion

  • It is remarkable that this familiar Peninsular Malaysian rattan should be so rare in Borneo. Bornean populations differ from those in Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra in having relatively broader and shorter leaflets; otherwise there is very little difference. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Etymology

  • Thomas Oxley, physician in the employ of the East India Company in Penang and Singapore (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Uses

  • Of limited use because of the short stem length. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Description

  • Solitary (very rarely clustering) rattan climbing to 10 m; stem without sheaths to 15 mm diam., with sheaths to 30 mm diam., internodes 15 cm long. Sheaths bright green, rather densely armed with black, yellow-based flattened spines to 50 × 7 mm, upward-pointing, horizontal or reflexed; knee poorly developed, usually obscured by spines; ocrea tattering, inconspicuous. Leaf cirrate, arching, to 2 m or more including the petiole to 30 cm and cirrus to 60 cm; petiole armed with long black, yellowish-based spines; leaflets to c. 50 on each side of the rachis, arranged in groups of 2-5 (rarely more), arcuate, dark shiny green except at the base where pale yellowish, 20-30 × 2-3 cm, ± unarmed. Inflorescences strongly curved, to 1.2 m, with c. 7 partial inflorescences, the longest to 40 cm; male rachillae to 3 cm; female rachillae to 4 cm bearing rather distant flowers. Ripe fruit rounded, c. 12 mm diam., with conspicuous beak to 1.5 mm, and covered in 12-13 vertical rows of yellowish scales with brown margins. Seed hemispherical, c. 9 mm diam., with superficial pitting; endosperm very sparsely and shallowly ruminate. Seedling leaf not known. (Fig. 38). (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Materials Examined

  • BEL: Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6561; Melilas, Bt.Batu Patam, Dransfield J. 6563. (Dransfield, J. 1997: The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam)A

Bibliography

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