Plectocomiopsis corneri
Plectocomiopsis (plehk-toh-KOHM-ee-ohp-siss) corneri (kohr-NEHR-ee) | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Malaya, Sumatera, Trengganu, Pahang, Perak, and Johore. Also collected once in Jambi Province, Sumatra.Description
Robust high climbing clustering hapaxanthic rattan with stems to about 25 m tall, without sheaths 1.5 - 2 cm in diameter, with to 3.5 cm. Internodes to 40 cm on juvenile stems, usually much less. Sheaths rich bright green, with thin covering of silvery grey indumentum and very sparse spines, most sheaths inerm, spines normally only present on juvenile stems, as a vertical row of golden spines about 3 cm long, below the petiole. Knee absent. Ocrea very conspicuous, about 3 cm high, though shorter in adult flowering stems, orangey-yellow, truncate, not tattering. Leaf to 2.75 m; petiole non-existent or very short; leaflets about 9 on each side of the rachis, very broad, somewhat cucullate about 30 cm long by 7 cm wide, bright green; cirrus to about 1.25 m. Dimensions of leaves subtending inflorescences much smaller. Inflorescences produced in the axils of the topmost 5-10 reduced leaves, male and female superficially similar but male more highly branched than female, unarmed, to 30 cm long with rather curving divaricate rachillae. Fruit borne on persistent, greatly enlarged and split calyx; fruit somewhat wider than high, about 2.5 cm high and 3 cm in diameter, covered in pale bright orangey-brown scales in 30-35 rows. Seed somewhat depressed, covered in very thin flesh. Endosperm homogeneous. Seedling leaf bifid flagellate, of very thin texture. (J. Dransfield, A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.. 1979)/Palmweb.
Plectocomiopsis corneri is an extremely distinctive rattan found in lowland freshwater swamp forest and lowland Dipterocarp forest on the East Coast from Trengganu to Johore and one locality (G. Bubu) in Perak. It is nowhere very common, usually being found as occasional clumps. It appears to be favoured by disturbance - in areas where this species is indigenous, especially fine clumps may be seen along old logging trials. This species can hardly be confused with any other, it is the only Malayan rattan with the combination of non-kneed sheaths, prominent truncate ocrea bright yellow in colour, and broad cucullate leaflets, and very sparsely armed or unarmed sheaths. (J. Dransfield, A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.. 1979) Editing by edric.
Culture
Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b
Comments and Curiosities
Etymology: The specific epithet iis in honor of Edred John Henry Corner, C. B. E. 12 January 1906-14 September 1996, a member of the Royal Society, and eminent natural historian.
Uses: Very poor quality, easily splitting and deforming on drying.
External Links
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
J. Dransfield, A Manual of the rattans of the Malay Peninsula. Malayan Forest Recirds 29.. 1979
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.