Iguanura belumensis

Iguanura (ig-oo-ah-NOOR-ah) belumensis (beh-loo-MEHN-siss)
A rare species from rainforests in Perak on the Malay Peninsula, described only in 1996. Photo Rare Palm Seeds.com
Scientific Classification
Genus: Iguanura (ig-oo-ah-NOOR-ah) Species: belumensis (beh-loo-MEHN-siss)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Malaya, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, and Terengganu. Found on hill forest slopes at alt.

A rare species from rainforests in Perak on the Malay Peninsula, described only in 1996. Photo Rare Palm Seeds.com

about 800 m., not seen on lower locations, its solitary habit, and more robust erect stem sets it apart, as does the profuse inflorescence (though sometimes sparse in poor soil conditions), flowering from? l m to 4 m or more.

Description

Solitary. stilt-rooted, stem gey or brown. erect to 4m or more. to 1.5 cm diam. leaves abscissing, nine or more in crown, pinnate three to five pairs leaflets. trapezoidal (size and variations similar to I. polymorpha). leaf sheath brown, internode 1-1.4 cm. inflorescence often numerous, inter or infrafoliar, finely paniculate with many branches, 10-14, often sub-branching. usually profuse in flower or fruit; fruit ovoid (also known to be curved), white. pink tinged. Ripening red; seed not ridged. (Lim C.K. 1996. Unravelling Iguanura Bl. (Palmae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 48: 2-64)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

On G. Bubu, a specimen collected in 1972 at 1000 m (Evans 722, UPM) displayed curved fruit. but in another (FSP Ng FRI 6134) they were ovoid. Like others, the fine specimen with robust stems from Bujang Melaka (Shah -3.369) was thought to be I. polymorpha. (Lim C.K. 1996. Unravelling Iguanura Bl. (Palmae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 48: 2-64)/Palmweb.

Culture

Cold Hardines Zone: 10b

Comments and Curiosities

Etymology: The epithet (species name) belumensis was chosen for the locality in which we found it in 1989, and used. for purposes of herbarium depositions; the choice becomes especially appropriate in the light of more recent national conservation efforts in the type area.

Not uncommon but endangered by logging along the E.W. Highway. It has so far been encountered only in isolation from other Iguanura taxa, although I. bicornis, I. wallichiana and I. geonomiformis have been seen at similar altitudes. In the Belum FR, other sympatric palm species include Pinanga subintegra var., P. simplicifrons, P. perakensis, P. malaiana, Nenga macrocarpa and Johannesteijsmannia altifrons. In that area, visited over four years, I. polymorpha has not been found at this altitude, although to the east and west, at lower levels, that taxon abounds. and also to the north (probably extending into Thailand), where robust colonies of the clustering relative are dominant. (Lim C.K. 1996. Unravelling Iguanura Bl. (Palmae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 48: 2-64)/Palmweb.

A rare species from rainforests in Perak on the Malay Peninsula, described only in 1996. (RPS.com)