AMORPHOPHALLUS SUWIDJIANUS

PROTOLOGUE: Amorphophallus suwidjianus Ipor, Tawan & Meekiong, published in Folia Malaysiana 11(1): 40 (2010).

1. Amorphophallus suwidjianus Ipor, Tawan & Meekiong sp. nov. Amorphophallo borneensi confertus, sed minor. Spatha campanulata spadice longior, zonae sterilis pars superior appendice alba c. 3 - 5 cm longa, flores masculi et foeminei sessiles. Typus: Indonesia, West Kalimantan, Lanjak. Meekiong, K. & Nurito, MK2000 (Spirit collection; HUMS). [Mixed dipterocarp forest, thick humus under deep shaded canopy, near to small stream]

DISTRIBUTION: Borneo (Kalimantan): Borneo.

DISTRIBUTION NOTE: Indonesia: West Kalimantan, at Lanjak - the only locality given.².

SPECIES DESCRIPTION:

Tuber depressed globose, developing no offsets, to 6.5-7 cm high and 8.8-9 cm across, brown on the surface, the inner part fleshy and whitish.²

INFLORESCENCE:

Inflorescence solitary, produced without the foliage leaf. Peduncle about 20-21.5 cm long, cylindrical and slender, 11-12 mm across in its upper part, 12-13 mm at the middle and 13-14.5 mm at the base, the background dark green with shades of yellowish green, or dark green with very distinct raised spots that are elliptic to oval and elongate; the colour runs from light green at the base and darkens towards the flower, the surface slightly downy and dull. Spathe campanulate, an elongate slim hour-glass shape, about 19 cm long, about 4.5 cm across at the base, 5 cm at the middle and about 7.5 cm in the upper part; the lower spathe strongly campanulate with an acute or slightly rounded, involute apex; outside the background is yellowish green with sparse black dots over the lower half and sparse black and pinkish dots over the upper half, the margin yellowish green and light maroon, the base slightly greenish yellow; inside the base is dark purple or maroon and reddish, densely covered with tubercles of various sizes, the middle part creamy pink and the upper part pinkish turning more reddish towards the apex, the margin purple and darker towards the apex, the base to middle slightly muricate and greenish yellow. Spadix shorter than the spathe or about level with it, about 18.8 cm long; appendix about 8.3 cm long, 1.3 cm across in the upper part, 1.6 cm at the middle and 1.4 cm at the base, cylindrical, slightly thicker at the middle and then narrowing towards the apex. Female zone about 4-5 cm long and 3-4 cm across, with 50-60 flowers; male flowers sessile, 1-1.5 mm high and 2-2.3 mm across; style about 1 mm long, with yellow stigmas.²

ECOLOGY:

It grows on thick humus under deeply shaded conditions near small streams, in mixed dipterocarp forest.²

ETYMOLOGY:

Named in honour of Suwidji Wongso of Surabaya, a counterpart of the authors in Indonesia.²

NOTES:

1. The Latin diagnosis places the species close to Amorphophallus borneensis but smaller, with a bell-shaped spathe longer than the spadix, a white appendage some 3-5 cm long at the top of the sterile zone, and male and female flowers that are both sessile.²

2. The inflorescence appears without the leaf.²

3. The female zone carries 50 to 60 flowers.²

4. The spathe is described as an hour-glass: about 4.5 cm across at the base, narrowing, then opening to about 7.5 cm at the top.²

5. The species was published together with a second new species in the same paper, from Peninsular Malaysia.²

REFERENCES:

1. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Amorphophallus suwidjianus Ipor, Tawan & Meekiong

2. Folia Malaysiana 11(1): 40 (2010) — protologue.