Orania grandiflora A. P. Keim & J. Dransf., Kew Bulletin 67: 171 (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
Endemic to Papua. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Habitat

  • Disturbed alluvial forest with altitude about 30 m. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Discussion

  • Orania grandiflora is distinguished from O. macropetala primarily by the presence of dense redbrown tomentum in the inflorescence, size of both staminate and pistillate flowers and the numbers of stamens and staminodes . Unlike O. bakeri, the distribution of O. grandiflora does not overlap the distribution of O. macropetala. O. macropetala has never been collected from the southern part of New Guinea mainland. However, this may be caused by undercollecting of a possible widespread species. There have been limited collections of O. macropetala made from this part of mainland New Guinea. Further study with more collecting is essential. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Conservation

  • Data deficient (DD). The palm is known only from its type. In 1999 the locality was at the side of a bund next to major tailings of the P. T. Freeport Copper mine, a locality extremely vulnerable to disturbance. We do not know whether the population of the palm is still extant. (A.P. Keim & Dransfield, J. 2012: A monograph of the genus Orania (Arecaceae: Oranieae). – Kew Bulletin 67: 127-190)A

Etymology

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

Description

  • Large palm. Trunk c. 25 m high. Leaves 10 in the crown, spirally arranged, c. 6 m long; leaf-sheath massive, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface densely covered with red-brown tomentum and creamy white indumentum, margins disintegrating into fibres, fibres short, straight; petiole 2 m long, c. 4.5 - 5 cm diam., red-brown tomentum present; rachis c. 3 cm diam. in the middle part, with dense redbrown tomentum and creamy white indumentum; leaflets elongate-lanceolate, totally 58 - 60, regularly arranged leaflets held in one plane, the proximal 2 leaflets crowded 1.5 - 2 cm distant, otherwise c. 7 cm distant in the middle part of rachis, c. 1.5 m long, 7.5 cm wide, adaxial surface glabrous, midrib robust, with sparse red-brown tomentum, other ribs slender, glabrous, abaxial surface densely covered with white indumentum, wax evidence present, red-brown tomentum absent, midrib less robust than adaxial, other ribs thicker than adaxial. Inflorescence spreading, branching to 2 orders, robust, densely covered with red-brown tomentum; prophyll hard, persistent, disintegrating into fibres when old, c. 30 cm long, 15 cm wide near the base, adaxial and abaxial surface glabrous; peduncular bract one, woody, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface with dense red-brown tomentum, splitting in the middle, heavily disintegrating into fibres, persistent but shorter than prophyll; first order branch c. 80 - 85 cm long, rachillae bract scale-like; rachillae conspicuously robust, proximally c. 1 - 1.2 cm diam., with dense red-brown tomentum, c. 54 - 63 cm long, bearing 63 - 70 flower clusters, bearing triads arranged conspicuously distichously in the proximal 1=2 and paired staminate flowers in the distal 1=2, the basal c. 2 cm devoid of flowers, triads c. 1.5 cm distant, rachilla with dense red-brown tomentum. Staminate flowers with calyx of 3 united minute sepals; corolla with 3 free petals, c. 9 - 10 mm long, 2.5 - 3mmwide; stamens 6, filaments always free, dark brown, c. 1mmlong, anthers elongate-lanceolate, c. 4mmlong, pale creamy yellow, pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers with calyx of 3 united sepals, c. 2.5 - 3 mm long; corolla with 3 free petals, c. 10 mm long, 6 - 6.5 mm wide; staminodes 6, c. 2 mm long, always uniform; gynaecium, c. 5 - 6 mm long, 4 mm wide; stigma with 3 elongate lobes, c. 2.5 - 3 mm. Fruit globose or bilobed, c. 4.8 - 5 cm diam., mature fruit orange or reddish orange (W. J. Baker 1999 pers. comm.), stigmatic remains sub basal, smooth surface. 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

  • Papua. Fakfak: Road down E Levee towards Kampung Kali Kopi, loc. 104.26°82?S and 136.5°5.9?E Timika, 10 Feb. 1998, C. Heatubun CH 179 (K! holotype, 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