Daemonorops siberutensis Rustiami, Kew Bull. 57: 729 (2002)

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Introduction

  • According to Uhl and Dransfield (1987) Daemonorops, with almost 115 species, is the second largest genus of climbing palms (rattans) after Calamus. It belongs to the subtribe Calaminae, tribe Calameae of the subfamily Calamoideae (Baker et al. 2000). Daemonorops is divided into two sections based on the structure of the inflorescence, section Cymbospatha (correctly Daemonorops) and section Piptospatha (Beccari 1911). The former have concave boat-shaped bracts completely enclosed at anthesis by the prophyll (the first bract), and splitting longitudinally to expose the flowers. In contrast, the bracts of the species in the latter section split to the base and only the lower part is enclosed by the prophyll. Furthermore, according to Furtado (1953), bracts of species in section Piptospatha usually fall at anthesis and occasionally only the prophyll remains. The genus Daemonorops has not been revised since Beccari's treatment (1911). Since that time, many new collections have been made and the differences between some of Beccari's species are less clear than at the time they were described. The whole group is in need of revision. In a preliminary survey of section Piptospatha in Malesia, a study was conducted on 'dragon's blood' species, defined by the presence of red resin on the fruit scales. Among herbarium collections in BO, L and K, more than six species of 'dragon's blood' rattan were found. Most of them have already been described and named, including one species from Siberut Island, D. dracuncula Ridl. (Rustiami 1999). Among the collections deposited in K and BO were representatives of another taxon from Siberut that appears to be undescribed. It is here named and described as new. (Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra)A

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Sumatera present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Endemic to Siberut Island, Mentawai Archipelago, West Sumatra. (Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra)A

Discussion

  • This species differs from D. dracuncula Ridl. in reaching 5 m rather than 2 m in height, in the very short petiole up to 2 cm (not 12 cm) long, and in the very dense spines on the leaf sheath mouth (unarmed in D. dracuncula). (Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra)A

Diagnosis

  • ad sectionem Piptospatham pertinens; a D. dracuncula Ridl. statura maiore ad 5 m non 2 m adscendenti, petiolis brevioribus c. 2 cm non 12 cm longis, ore vaginae foliae dense spinoso non inermi, foliis spinosis spinis in rachidibus cirrisque singulariter dispositis differt. (Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Found in disturbed forest, 150 m. (Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra)A

Common Name

  • Rotan Taset (Mentawai). (Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra)A

Description

  • Clustering small rattan up to 5 m tall. Stem without sheaths up to 9 mm diam., with sheaths up to 17 mm diam.; internodes up to 70 mm long; knee conspicuous, armed as the rest of sheath. Leaves to 100 cm long; leaf sheaths covered with blackish-red, detachable, very dense but patchy indumentum, spines greyish green, pointing upward, triangular in shape, up to 4.1 cm long and 2 mm wide at the base; spines around the leaf sheath mouth greenish, very dense, up to 2.7 cm long; petiole about 2 cm long, slightly concave above near the base, armed with groups of spines like those on the rachis; rachis yellowish, c. 5 mm diam., armed with groups of 2 - 4 spines abaxially, the longest spines about 8 mm, the shortest about 5 mm, adaxial surface sparsely spiny, spines in two series; leaflets subregularly arranged, 18 - 22 on each side, lanceolate, c. 21.5 x 3 cm, rarely bearing whitish hairs in pairs, mid nerve armed with blackish bristles, transverse veinlets inconspicuous; cirrus to 100 cm, armed with hooked claw-like spines, rachis and cirrus proximally also bearing single spines along the margins. Staminate inflorescence before flowering very narrowly cylindrical and elongate, up to 47 cm long, c. 7 partial inflorescences; prophyll coriaceous, obliquely truncate at the mouth; armed with very dense spines, united at the base horizontally; male flowers very small, oblong, up to 5 mm long; calyx widely ovate, 1 x 1.5 mm, with three small acute points; corolla about three times longer than calyx; stamens 6, anthers up to 0.5 mm long, filaments up to 1.5 mm long. Pistillate flower not seen. Infructescence up to 16 cm long covered by brown indumentum; prophyll persisting after anthesis; up to 3 partial infructescences, the longest to 10 cm, axis of partial infructescence brown. Fruit elongate about 2 x 1.2 cm, borne on a pedicel 3 mm long and covered in 13 vertical rows of reddish brown dragon's blood-encrusted scales; seed angular up to 10 x 8 mm; endosperm deeply ruminate, embryo basal. (Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra)A

Materials Examined

  • WEST SUMATRA, Mentawai Archipelago, Siberut Island, Rokdok Village, J. J. Afriastini 2560 (holotype BO; isotype K); West Sumatra, Mentawai Archipelago, Siberut Island, Rokdok Village, Sikatakep Mt, yg. stam. fls, J. J. Afriastini 2561 (BO). (Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra)A

Bibliography

    A. Rustiami, H. 2002: A new species of Daemonorops section Piptospatha (Arecaceae) from Siberut Island, West Sumatra
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae