Orania dafonsoroensis A. P. Keim & J. Dransf., Kew Bulletin 67: 153 (2012)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
New Guinea present (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A
New Guinea. Endemic in the Cyclops (Dafonsoro in local Sentani language) mountain in northern part of Papua around the Sentani Lake and close to Jayapura. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Habitat

  • Mountain slope in undisturbed humid rather hilly tropical rainforest with altitude from 700 up to 900 m above sea level (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Discussion

  • This species is one of three species with simply branching inflorescences. The existence of this species was recognised in 1998 by a team of researchers from the National University of Papua (then Cenderawasih University at Manokwari), when one collection was made (C. Heatubun CH 278). Another collection was made in 2001 in the northern part of the mountain (B. Desianto BD 12). This is a beautiful palm with an outstanding long peduncle and big fruits hanging on the rachillae. Fortunately, the Cyclops Mountain is a Nature Reserve (Schultz-Westrum 1978; Nasution et al. 1995) and thus this species should survive. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Conservation

  • Critically endangered (CR). The palm occurs in a single locality, which, despite being within a national park, is vulnerable to continuing disturbance and degradation. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Common Name

  • Hara cho (Sentani, northern Cyclops). (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Uses

  • Unknown (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Description

  • Large palm. Trunk up to 10 m tall, c. 10 - 16 cm diam. (DBH), internodes c. 8 - 10 in middle trunk, 20 cm near the base, dark green coloured. Leaves 10 - 11 in the crown, arranged subdistichously when young, spirally when mature, c. 2.5 - 4.5 m long; leaf-sheath c. 30 - 40 cm long, 9 - 10 cm wide the near base, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface with dense red-brown tomentum covering, margins disintegrating into fibres, fibres slightly curled; petiole covered with red-brown tomentum, c. 70 - 80 cm long, c. 2.3 - 3.5 cm diam.; rachis c. 1.5 - 3.3 m long, covered with red-brown tomentum, c. 2.3 - 2.5 cm diam.; leaflets elongate-lanceolate, regularly arranged leaflets held in one plane, c. 70 - 80 in total number, c. 1.03 - 1.70 m long, 8.5 - 9 cm wide each, the proximal part of rachis with single smallest leaflet, distance between 2 leaflets c. 7 cm in middle part of rachis; adaxial surface dark green, glabrous, midrib robust, other ribs slender; abaxial surface densely covered with white indumentum, red-brown tomentum on margin, midrib and near base, midrib robust, other ribs slender but thicker than adaxial. Inflorescence spreading, branching to 1 order, c. 2.8 - 2.94 m long; prophyll persistent, c. 70 - 87.5 cm long, 5 - 6 cm wide, disintegrating into fibres when old; peduncle c. 2 - 2.1 m long, glabrous; peduncular bract one, woody, persistent, c. 3 - 3.1 m long, 5 cm wide, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface slightly to deeply covered with red-brown tomentum, splitting in the middle, disintegrating into fibres when old; rachis c. 80 - 84 cm long, number of rachillae 18 - 20, rachillae thick, c. 45 - 80 cm long, straight, not obviously zigzag, bearing 72 - 128 flower clusters, bearing triads up to 37 - 71 cm from base, the basal c. 4.5 cm devoid of flowers, triads c. 1.5 cm distant, rachilla glabrous. Staminate flowers with calyx of 3 united minute sepals; corolla with 3 free petals, c. 6 × 2 mm; stamens 6, filaments free, dark-brown, c. 0.75 - 1 mm long, anthers elongate-lanceolate, pale creamy yellow, c. 3 mm long; pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers with calyx of 3 united sepals, c. 2 mm long; corolla with 3 free petals, c. 5 × 2 mm; staminodes 6, c. 1=3 as long as gynoecium, uniform; gynoecium dark-brown, c. 2.5 mm long, 1.5 - 2 mm wide; stigma with 3 lobes. Fruit globose or bilobed, 4 - 4.5 cm diam., dull green when young, bright yellow to orange when mature; epicarp thin, smooth; mesocarp fibrous, c. 2 - 3 mm thick; endocarp thin, dark-brown, hard; endosperm white, c. 3.5 - 4 cm diam., with hollow inside, liquid endosperm present. Embryo placed below middle line of seed. Eophyll bifid. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Materials Examined

  • INDONESIA. Papua. Jayapura: Cyclops Mountain, 12 Aug. 1998, C. Heatubun CH 278 (K!, MAN!); near WWF Station at Pos 7-Sentani, 18 Feb. 1999, A. P. Keim AK 35 (BH!, BO!, K!, MAN!); A. P. Keim AK 36 (BH!, BO!, K! holotype, MAN!); North Cyclops, 1 Feb. 2001, B. Desianto BD 12 (AAU, CANB, K!, MAN). (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Bibliography

    A. A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190