AMORPHOPHALLUS LINGUIFORMIS

PROTOLOGUE: Amorphophallus linguiformis Hett., published in Blumea 39: 262 (1994).

Amorphophallus linguiformis Hett., spec. nov. Ab Amorphophallus costato Hett. in appendice multo breviore differt. — Typus: Geesink 9285 (L holo), Indonesia, Kalimantan Timur, between Papadi and Pamilau, c. 3° 52' N, 116° 00' E, alt. 700-800 m, hill forest on sandstone.

DISTRIBUTION: Borneo (Kalimantan): Borneo.

DISTRIBUTION NOTE: Indonesia: East Kalimantan, between Papadi and Pamilau (only known from the type collection)².

SPECIES DESCRIPTION:

Tuber unknown. Leaf solitary; petiole c. 1 m long, c. 2 cm in diam., smooth, background colour whitish, largely covered by confluent, dark green, elliptic spots; lamina c. 160 cm in diam., rhachises narrowly winged; leaflets elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, 10-30 cm long, 5-10 cm broad, shortly acuminate.²

INFLORESCENCE:

Inflorescence solitary, short peduncled, peduncle and part of spathe hidden by cataphylls; peduncle c. 4 cm long, c. 1 cm in diam.; spathe linguiform, narrowed between base and limb, 20 cm long, 9 cm in diam., base narrowly tubular, outside whitish with small, purple spots, limb erect, slightly fornicate, elliptic-oval, acute, colour of outside unknown, inside glossy dark maroon. Spadix shorter than spathe, sessile, c. 13 cm long; female zone cylindric, c. 2 cm long, c. 1 cm in diam., flowers irregularly disposed, partly in horizontal rows; male zone cylindric, c. 4 cm long, c. 1 cm in diam., flowers partly isolated and partly aligned in vertical rows; appendix cylindric, narrowed to the base, c. 7 cm long, c. 1.5 cm in diam., obtuse, dark maroon. Ovaries depressed, c. 2 mm high, c. 1 mm in diam., purple, unilocular; style very indistinct, c. 0.2 mm long, c. 1 mm in diam.; stigma circular in outline, c. 1 mm in diam., c. 0.5 mm high, trilobate with a deep central depression, lobes shallowly conic. Male flowers consisting of c. 3 stamens; stamens c. 0.8 mm high, pale yellow; filaments absent; anthers 1.5-2 mm in diam., often irregularly fused between adjacent flowers, pores elongate, apical.²

ECOLOGY:

Found in hill forest on sandstone; altitude: 700-800 m²

ETYMOLOGY:

The species epithet refers to the shape of the spathe when pressed flat.²

NOTES:

1. Amorphophallus linguiformis resembles Amorphophallus pendulus especially in the general shape of the spathe but differs markedly by the much shorter peduncle and appendix. From Amorphophallus costatus it differs among others in the shorter, obtuse, dark maroon appendix and the much larger leaf and leaflets.²

REFERENCES:

1. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Amorphophallus linguiformis Hett.

2. Blumea 39: 262 (1994) — protologue.