Laccosperma laeve (G.Mann & H.Wendl.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 729 (1891)

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Distribution

Laccosperma laeve is distributed in the coastal forests from Liberia and the forest of Upper Guinea to Cameroon and south to Cabinda (Angola). However, there is a considerable disjunction from Ghana to Nigeria. (Sunderland, T.C.H. 2012: A taxonomic revision of the rattans of Africa (Arecaceae: Calamoideae). – Phytotaxa 51: 1-76)A

Biology And Ecology

  • This species, in common with, L. opacum is shade tolerant and is commonly found under a forest canopy. In fact, aside from on basaltic soils the two species often sympatric. (Sunderland, T.C.H. 2012: A taxonomic revision of the rattans of Africa (Arecaceae: Calamoideae). – Phytotaxa 51: 1-76)A

Conservation

  • Least concern (LC). (Sunderland, T.C.H. 2012: A taxonomic revision of the rattans of Africa (Arecaceae: Calamoideae). – Phytotaxa 51: 1-76)A

Etymology

  • (Latin) "smooth"; refers to the smooth seed coat. (Sunderland, T.C.H. 2012: A taxonomic revision of the rattans of Africa (Arecaceae: Calamoideae). – Phytotaxa 51: 1-76)A

Description

  • Clustered slender palm climbing to 10-13 m. Stems often branching, without sheaths to 16 mm in diameter, with ca.20 mm; internodes 8-17 cm long. Leaf sheath moderately to sparsely armed with black-tipped, pale brown spines, spreading or lightly reflexed, upper sheaths near inflorescence more sparsely armed; black caducous indumentum present on mature leaf sheaths; ocrea 8-20 cm long, gradually tapering at the apex, pale straw-coloured without, shiny mid-brown within, armed as the sheath. Leaves up to 1.5 m; petiole on lower leaves up to 18 cm long × 0.8 cm wide, abaxially rounded, adaxially flattened, armed along the margins with angular, inequidistant black tipped, bulbous-based spines up to 1.3 cm long, spreading or reflexed; rachis up to 90 cm long, more commonly, 60 cm, distinctly trapezoid in cross section at the base, rounded in cross-section distally, armed as the petiole, spines decreasing in size distally and becoming regularly reflexed and increasingly bulbous-based; cirrus up to 70 cm long, more commonly 50-60 cm, armed as the rachis; leaflets composed of 2-4 folds, 10-12 pairs on each side of the rachis, inequidistant and unequal in size, usually subequidistant proximally and borne in loose pairs distally, sigmoid, 15-20 to 25-30 cm long × 3.5-6 to 8-10 cm broad at the widest point, ± concolorous with prominent transverse veinlets, margin unarmed; acanthophylls 2.5-2.8 cm long. Inflorescences, numbering 4-8 produced simultaneously in the distal to 30 cm of stem; peduncle ca.8 cm long; prophyll ca.3.5 cm; rachis bracts 1.5-2 cm long, gradually decreasing distally, tapering to form a short, triangular lobe, often tattering, finely longitudinally striate, closely adpressed to the bract above; rachillae 8-12 cm long, spreading, densely covered in imbricate longitudinally striate, rachillae bracts ± 3 mm long, each with a wide opening and 1 mm-long apiculum. Flowers at anthesis, 6-8 mm × 2-3 mm; calyx tan-cream, 4-4.5 mm long, tubular in the basal 2.5-3 mm, with 3 longitudinally striate, 2 mm × 2-2.5 mm triangular lobes; corolla, tubular in the basal 0.8-1 mm only, with three valvate lobes, white or pale cream, longitudinally striate, 6-7.5 mm × 2-2.5 mm, with a broadly acuminate tip; stamen filaments dark brown, 3 mm × 1 mm, united into 1 mm-long basal tube; anthers 3 mm × 1 mm; ovary ± 1 mm in diameter, stigma up to 4 mm long. Fruit at maturity, ovoid, 0.8-1 cm × 0.6-0.8 cm, with 14-18 rows of vertical scales. Seed smooth, ovoid, 0.6-0.8 cm long, 0.4-0.6 cm wide, ± 0.3 cm thick, flattened on one side, with light linear depression running from base to apex. (Sunderland, T.C.H. 2012: A taxonomic revision of the rattans of Africa (Arecaceae: Calamoideae). – Phytotaxa 51: 1-76)A

Materials Examined

  • LIBERIA: Jansen 1822, Mmal Mining Company Concession, Fr. February 13, 1970 (K!); Linder 676, Gbanga (06º59N:09º28W) sterile, September 17, 1926 (K!, MO!); Linder1228, Gbanga (06º59N:09º28W) sterile, October 24, 1926 (K!, WAG!); Ivory Coast; Ake-Assi 9450, Pata (04º35N:07º23W) sterile, February 19, 1967 (K!); Boughey 14732, Issia (06º28N:06º33W) sterile, August 2, 1954 (K!); Chevalier 22658, Between Abougoua and Yacassi (05º43N:03º57W) Fr., December 26, 1909 (K!); de Wilde & Leeuwenberg 3432, 26km W of Abidjan (05º20N:04º16W) Fl., February 20, 1962 (BR!, MO!); Hall & Ake-Assi 45442, 2 miles E of Sakre (05º41N:07º21W) sterile, August 15, 1975 (GC!); Hepper & Maley 8214, Taï Forest (05º38N:07º08W) sterile, September 18, 1984 (K!); Oldeman 137, Foret de Banco, sterile, July 6, 1963 (K!, WAG!); GHANA: Adams 2190, 7 miles from Enchi (05º29N:02º29W) sterile, December 30, 1953 (GC!); Enti 2344, Neung Forest Reserve, Tarkwa (05º27N:00º50W) Fr., November 30, 1988 (GC!); Kinlock 3237, Tarkwa, Ndumnfri F.R. (05º10N:02º09W) sterile, February 3, 1934 (KUM!); Moore & Enti 9882, Ankasa River Forest Reserve (05º15N:02º36W) sterile, March 4, 1971 (GC!); Sunderland 2265, Draw River Forest Reserve (05º12N:02º20W) sterile, May 26, 1999 (K!, KUM!); Sunderland 2266, Draw River Forest Reserve (05º12N:02º20W) sterile, May 26, 1999 (K!, KUM!); CAMEROON: Sunderland 1804, Campo Ma'an Faunal Reserve (02º10N:09º54E) sterile, March 20, 1997 (K!, YA!, MO!, WAG!); Sunderland 2251, Mokoko River Forest Reserve (04º29N:09º00E) sterile, February 16, 1999 (K!, SCA!); CONGO: Sita 4642, Chaillu, Fl., April 1982 (BR!); GABON: Arends et al. 671, Mt Doubou (02º15S:10º20E), Fr., December 6, 1984 (WAG!); le Testu 1712, Region de Nyanga (02º14N:11º27E); Fl., July 3, 1919 (K!, BR!, MO!); Mann 1045, Gaboon River (00º19N:09º29E) Fl., 1861 (K!); Rietsma 2047, 15km NW of Libreville (00º35N:09º22E) Fr., March 21, 1986 (LBR!); ANGOLA: Gossweiler 7995, Mayombe, Luali (05º00S:12º25E) sterile, 1919 (K!) (Sunderland, T.C.H. 2012: A taxonomic revision of the rattans of Africa (Arecaceae: Calamoideae). – Phytotaxa 51: 1-76)A

Bibliography

    A. Sunderland, T.C.H. 2012: A taxonomic revision of the rattans of Africa (Arecaceae: Calamoideae). – Phytotaxa 51: 1-76