Korthalsia cheb Becc., Malesia 2: 67 (1884)

Primary tabs

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Content

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Borneo present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Very local, known from a few collections from the 1st Division. Elsewhere in Sabah, W., S., and E. Kalimantan, apparently always very local. Endemic to Borneo. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Discussion

  • K. cheb is a very distinctive species with its very large inflated ocreas and broad diamond-shaped leaflets. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Biology And Ecology

  • It occurs in hill dipterocarp forest at altitudes up to 800 m, usually in humid valleys. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Etymology

  • Cheb - Italian spelling of a local name, keb (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Common Name

  • wae duru (Pen.), rua (Bid.) (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Uses

  • Produces a medium-sized rotan merah. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Description

  • Robust clustering and branching rattan climbing to 40 m. Stem without sheaths to 2 cm diam., with sheaths to 3 cm diam., internodes to 20 cm long. Sheaths bright green, ± unarmed except for a few short spines to 2 mm, bearing caducous brown scales, but ± completely covered by the ocrea of the preceding leaf, ocrea very large and conspicuous, tightly sheathing just above the petiole then greatly inflated, the inflated portion to 25 x 4.5 cm, bearing few scattered short triangular spines to 5 mm with broad bases to 10 mm, and thin buff indumentum; ants abundant. Leaf to 2.25 m including the cirrus to 1 m; petiole to 10 cm in young shoots, ± absent in exposed stems; leaflets to 7 on each side of the rachis, large diamond-shaped, to 30 x 15 cm borne on stalks to 1 cm; upper leaflet surface bright green, lower buff-coloured. Inflorescence to c. 75 cm, bearing numerous rachillae to 18 x 0.8 cm, rachillae dull mid brown tomentose. Ripe fruit somewhat oblong, 1.5 x 1 cm covered in 18 vertical rows of straw-coloured scales. Seed 12 x 8 mm; endosperm deeply ruminate. 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