Johannesteijsmannia lanceolata J.Dransf., Gard. Bull. Singapore 26: 78 (1972)

Species named after 'Johannes E Teijsmann [1808-1882]', a Dutch botanist and former director of Bogor Botanical Garden.

Synonyms

Diagnostics
Differs from the other species by the narrow leaves, the inflorescence with 3-6 thick branches and the flowers with papillate petals.

Description
Solitary acaulescent palm, with subterranean procumbent stem to 15 cm in diameter. Leaves erect, +/- lanceolate, to 3.5 m tall. Lamina to 2.4 m long and 30 cm wide covered with brown scurfy scales on the underside, along the midrib and the primary nerves. Veins numerous, to 25 along each side of the midvein, with small anastomosing veins between the veins. Lower leaf margin with short spines (to 1 mm) as on the petiole. Petiole with two conspicuous yellow stripes. Leaf sheath fibrous to 25 cm long, withering to form a brown network of fibres. Inflorescence axillary buried between the petioles under a pile of dead leaves and other plant debris. Spathes at first cream, then turning brown, caducous, 3-4 in number, sparsely clothed in brown indumentum, to 20 cm long and 2 cm wide, tubular at the base, not inflated, acute at the apex, split down one side. Peduncle tomentose to 25 cm long, 10 mm in diameter, with one order of branching. Floriferous branches 3-6 in number, thick, to 16 cm long and 10 mm in diameter, pubescent, curved or straight. Flowers sessile, white and papillate, obtuse in bud, solitary or grouped in 2's and 3's, each subtended by a minute bracteole, arranged in a spiral on the branch. Calyx short 0.3 mm high, glabrous and fleshy, shallowly three-lobed. Petals to 1 mm long, broadly triangular, fleshy, and very thick, connate into a short tube at the base, papillose without, somewhat verrucose within towards the apex. Staminal ring minutely epipetalous, abruptly contracted into six equal filaments. Anthers oval. Pollen grains white. Ovary glabrous, carpels three, free at the base, connate at the apex to form a common style 0.3 mm long. Fruit to 3.4 cm in diameter, usually developing from one carpel, often developing from two or three, covered with about 90 low corky warts, reddish-brown in colour, to 2.5 mm high. Endocarp woody to 1 mm thick. Endosperm bony to 2.5 cm in diameter, penetrated at the base by corky integumental tissue. [from http://www.palmpedia.net]

Ecology
River valleys, but only on the well drained sites.

Uses

Distribution
It is known only from a small, extremely limited habitat in the Sungei Lallang watershed on the Malay peninsula.

Local names