Daemonorops micracantha (Griff.) Becc., Fl. Brit. India 6: 467 (1893)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_55784_1.jpg

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
Widespread but rather local. Elsewhere in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Discussion

  • D. micracantha is found in lowland forest up to c. 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. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Common Name

  • wijerenang (Ib.) (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Etymology

  • Very small spines (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Uses

  • Cane of moderate quality but too local to be of much importance; dragon's blood used formerly in dyes and medicine. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Description

  • Moderate clustering rattan climbing to 20 m or more; stem without sheaths to 12mm diam., when juvenile very much less, with sheaths to 25 mm 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 c. 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. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae