Daemonorops angustifolia (Griff.) Mart., Hist. Nat. Palm. 3: 327 (1853)

Primary tabs

no image available

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Malaya present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Thailand present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Widespread throughout the lowlands of Malaya but not recorded for Perlis or Penang. (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Discussion

  • "Rotan getah", so-called because of the abundant white latex exuding from cut surfaces (not a diagnostic character) is an abundant rattan of the lowlands, growing especially along streams and at edges of swamps. It is rather rarely found on dry land except where disturbed. We may suppose its natural habitat to be riverbanks. From D. grandis, D. angustifolia may be distinguished by its very narrow leaflets, bright green and usually shiny and from D. melanochaetes by its broad triangular bract spines. (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Common Name

  • rotan getah (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Etymology

  • Angustis-narrow, folium - leaf (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Uses

  • Produces a coarse cane, useful for rather low quality furniture, and also used rather extensively for core. (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Description

  • Clustering moderately robust high climbing rattan producing dense thickets, ultimately climbing to 40 m. Stem without sheaths to about 2.5 cm in diameter, with sheaths to 4 cm; internodes to 35 cm. Sheaths dull greenish brown densely armed with triangular black spines to 2.5 cm long by 5 mm wide, and abundant red-brown to dark brown indumentum. Knee conspicuous. Ocrea poorly developed. Whole leaf to 3.5 m long including petiole to 30 cm and cirrus to 1.25 m. Petiole armed with black spines along edges and near edges on upper surface, and along the mid-line below. Leaflets up to about 100 on each side regular, narrow crowded, up to 35 cm long by 1.5 cm wide, armed with bristles on three nerves above and main nerve below. Inflorescences male and female very similar, sessile ± erect to 35 cm long by 15 cm wide, terminating in a beak to 15 cm long, all inner bracts enclosed within the outermost; outermost bract rather evenly and not very densely armed with spines similar to those on the leaf sheath to 3 cm long by 4 mm wide. Ripe fruit rounded to 1.8 cm in diameter, shortly beaked, covered in 15-18 vertical rows of reddish brown scales with darker tips. Seed rounded but somewhat flattened on two sides, to 1.3 cm in diameter; endosperm deeply ruminate. Seedling leaf with about 10 crowded pinnae. (Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. 1979: A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae