ARECACEAE [Draft]

Insert Chinese and Pin Yin

Pei Shengjii  (_____________), Chen Sanyang  (________________); John Dransfield.

Shrubby, vines or trees, stem usually unbranched, solitary or clustered, smooth or rough, unarmed or armed, the base of the older petiole or the leaf scars present, rarely tomentellate. Leaves alternate plaited in bud. Blade pinnate or palmate, rarely entire or nearly entire; petiole usually enlarged to form a fibrous sheath at the base. Flowers small, hermaphroditic or unisexual, monoecious or dioecious, sometimes polygamous, usually composed of branches or unbranches spadix; inflorescence multi-branched usually, enveloped by one or more spathe; sepals and petals 3 usually, distinct or variously connate; stamens 6 usually, rarely more or less, anthers 2-locules, basifixed or dorsifixed; staminode exist or rarely absent; ovary 1–3-loculed, or 3-carpelled distinct or connate at the base; stigmas 3, sessile usually, ovules 1–2 in each carpel. Fruits drupe or hard berry, pericarp smooth or hairy, spiny, or with scales. Seed 1(2–3) usually, up to 10, adhering to the epicarp or free, with thin or sometimes fleshy testa (sarcotesta); endosperm homogenous or ruminate; embryo apical, lateral or basal.

Ca. 210 genera and more 2800 species. Tropical and subtropical, mainly in tropical Asia and America, some in Africa. 25 genera and more 100 species (include cultivated species and genera) in China, mostly in SE and S China. Of them, Trachycarpus also in C to S of Qin mountain.

Most of species has highly economic value, which as an important landscape tree species, was cultivated in garden.

1a... Perianth reduced as linear-like, 6-lobes, distinct; fruit borne on head, closed infructescence, male flower stamens 3, connate to a staminate column; female flower barely; seed subtended by thick endocarps  25. Nypa

1b.. Perianth well developed, 6-lobes, enlarged to enclosed the fruit after pollination.

2a... Leaves pinnate or palmate, segment (or leaflet) induplicate or reduplicate; flower solitary or in groups, not triad (consists of lateral 2 male flowers and a middle female flower).

3a... Leaves pinnate, induplicate, the basal leaflets reduced as spines; dioecious, flowers solitary, dimorphic, carpels 3, distinct ..........................................................................................  1. Phoenix

3b... Leaves palmate or entire, induplicate or rarely reduplicate (as Guihaia), the basal leaflets without spiny.

4a... Flower dioecious, conspicuous dimorphic; carpels 3, connate and smooth, each carpel developing to form 1 pyrene (endocarp), endocarp woody, very thick and hard; male flowers borne in the concave of the cylindrical rachilla; mostly fruit with 3-pyrenes; leaves palmate, induplicate .  9. Borassus

4b.. Flowers bisexual or polygamo-dioecious; carpels 3, distinct or variously connate, divided into 1–3 smooth, alone developing berry after pollination; rachilla without deep concaved; endocarp thin, crustaceous or bony.

5a... Carpels distinct.

6a... Leaf segments single fold; fruit (seed) usually reniform, or rarely oblong, a larger intrusion of integument on the raphe, grooved on the raphe ...........................  2. Trachycarpus

6b... Leaf segments single- or several-folds; fruit or seed non-reniform.

7a... Leaf segments single-fold (rarely 2-fold), reduplicate, the most outside ones only half-fold. Stem shorter; leaf-sheath with needle-spiny or net-shaped fibers; flower only 1 carpel developed into fruit; fruit globose to ellipsoid; seed with lateral raphe, more or less compressed, with rounded intrusion of integument, embryo lateral .............................................  3. Guihaia

7b.. Leaf segments several folds, truncate, induplicate; stem slender, sheaths with net-shaped fibers; each flower with 1–3 carpels developed into the fruit; fruit globose or ovate; seed globose or subglobose, with large globose intrusion of integument, embryo sub-basal or lateral    4. Raphis

5b.. Carpels connate.

8a... Carpel basally distinct, connate on the style only leaves palmate.

9a... Leaves divide to form regularly single-fold (rarely several-fold) segments; filaments connate to form a fleshy ring at the upper part, apical short subulate, distinct ...........  5. Livistona

9b.. Leaves palmately parted into several-folds, cuneate-trunate segments or undivided; filament distinct or connate to form a conspicuous tube, with equal 6-toothed or 3-lobed androecial-ring at apex ........................................................................................................  6. Licuala

8b... Carpel connate at the base, styles distinct or with more or less distinct pistillar chord if it connate; filament the antesepalous free, or the antepetalous adnate to the base of the petal.

10a. Leaves divide into single-fold segments; ovary globose, distinct 3-grooved; endosperm homogeneous, embryo apical .........................................................  7. Corypha

10b. Leaves divided into single to several-folds segments; ovary somewhat stalked elongate; endosperm homogenous or ruminate, embryo basal
............................................................................................  8. Chuniophoenix

2b.. Leaves pinnate (or palmate outside China), leaflets usually reduplicate, rarely induplicate, but leaflets with erose tip; flowers solitary or clustered, usually triad.

11a. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, rarely dimorphic, dioecious or polygamous, pleonanthic or hapaxanthic, stemless to erect or climbing; flowers in dyads or solitary; carpel and fruit covered with scales, carpel 3, closed connate, usually only 1 carpel developing to form 1 seed and one scale-fruit with thin endocarp; ovary imperfect 3-locules; leaves reduplicate, pinnate.

12a. Hapaxanthic, stem climbing; leaves cirrate; male rachilla bracts bearing dyads or solitary flower, which subtended by bracts, rachilla of the female inflorescence bearing solitary flower only, rachilla subtending by bract-shaped spathe .....................................................................  10. Plectocomia

12b. Pleonanthic, very rarely hapaxanthic; stem mostly climbing, a few ones erect or stemless; male inflorescence bearing dyad or solitary flower, female one with in dyad female flowers and neuter flower.

13a. Stemless, clustering; leaves ecirrate, inflorescence short, subtending by leaf-sheath when the bud, rachilla of male infloresence more or less catkin-like; endosperm homogeneous, with a pit at the apex .............................................................................................................  11. Salacca

13b. Stem climbing, rarely erect at a few species, leaves terminate in a cirrus or the inflorescence rachis terminating in flagellum.

14a. Spathe of inflorescence rachis cymbiform, enclosed the inflorescence before fl., fall off after fl.; inflorescence short, claw-spines absent; endosperm ruminate
...............................................................................................  12. Daemonorops

14b. Spathe of inflorescence rachis tubular, not enclosed the inflorescence; inflorescence longer, armed with claw-spines; endosperm homogeneous or ruminate ...................  13. Calamus

11b. Flower unisexual, rarely bisexual, monoecious or dioecious, triad or from triad become to in dyads or solitary; carpel and fruit without scale; flower bracts reduced; carpel 3, slightly connate; ovary 3–2–1 locule; leaves pinnate, reduplicate or rarely induplicate.

15a. Hapaxanthic or pleonanthic, monoecious or rarely dioecious, inflorescence bisexual or from triad reduce as solitary; ovary 3-locules; fruit with 1–3 seeds; leaves single-pinnate or bipinnate, induplicate, segments erose.

16a. Inflorescence bearing bisexual flowers (monoecious); endosperm ruminate; leaves bipinnate          15. Caryota

16b. Inflorescence usually bearing unisexual flower (monoecious but in separate inflorescence or plants), rarely bisexual; endosperm homogeneous; leaves single-pinnate.

17a. Hapaxanthic, inflorescence bearing unisexual flowers; male flower sepals connate to form a tube, stamens (3–)6(–15); berry with 1–2(–3)-seeds ...............................  16. Wallichia

17b. Pleonanthic or hapaxanthic, inflorescence sometimes bisexual flowers; male flower sepal distinct, stamens (6–) numerous; berry with 1–3 seeds ....................................  14. Arenga

15b. Pleonanthic, never hapaxanthic; inflorescence bearing bisexual flowers, rarely unisexual; gynoecium pseudo-unilocular, uniovulate, or 3-locules and 3-ovulates; fruit with 1–3 or more seeds; leaves pinnate, reduplicate, leaflets usually acute or sometimes erose.

18a. Gynoecium 3-locules and 3-ovulates, fruit never lobed; fruit almost with thick bony endocarp, usually 1–3 seeded, rarely more and with 3 or more conspicuous pores.

19a. Inflorescence bearing unisexual flowers, monoecious in separate inflorescences; male rachilla fingerlike arranged, point-capitated at the apex; flower solitary, borne in deep pits of the rachilla; female rachilla robuster, the tips prolonged into a woody-spine, bearing fewer flowers at the base, bearing subsuperficial or only partly sunken membranous rachilla bracts; endocarp pore at the middle part of above; endosperm homogeneous ..............................................  22. Elaeis

19b. Inflorescence always bisexual; male flowers borne the upper part and apex of the rachilla; female flowers borne on the superficial of the base or shallowly pit; endocarp pore on the middle part or lower; endosperm homogeneous or ruminate.

20a. Female flowers borne on the base of the rachilla, fewer ones in triad; male flowers paired or solitary at the apex; female very large, globose-ovate; fruit very large, up to 25 cm or more, epicarp smooth, mesocarp very thick, dry fibers, endocarp thick bony; seed usually 1, with fluid endosperm, a large cavity on the endosperm central when ripe ..........  23. Cocos

20b. Flowers in triad on the base of the rachilla, paired or solitary male flowers at the apex; female flowers ovate or conic-ovate; fruit relatively small, epicarp smooth or longitudinally striate, glabrous or hairy, mesocarp fleshy or dry, with fibers, endosperm thick, woody; seed 1(–2), endosperm homogeneous or somewhat ruminate, sometime with a central cavity  24. Syagrus

18a. Gynoecium pseudo-unilocular, uniovulate, very rarely 3-locules and 3-ovulates; fruit with thin or rarely thick endocarp, usually 1-seeded (rarely 2–3 seeded in the 3-ovulates genera, if so then fruit lobes), without conspicuous 3-pores.

21a. Female flower petals connate at the base, valvate at the apex; staminodes connate to form a cupular adnate to the corolla basally; gynoecium pseudo-unilocular, uniovulate, stigmatic remains at the base of the fruit; inflorescence infrafoliar, branches to 4 orders; leaflets entire; male flowers subsymmetry, stamens 6–12; pistil subglabrous; style not distinct, stigmas 3; fruit obovoid to oblong-ellipsoid to subglobose ...................................................................................  18. Roystonea

21b. Female flower petals distinct, imbricate; staminodes toothlike, not cupular.

22a. Male flowers symmetry, rounded or small globose; inflorescence usually interfoliar, spicate or branching to 4 orders; stamens 6; gynoecium unilocular, uniovulate; stigmas 3, its remains at the base of the fruit; fruit ellipsoid or globose or turbinate; leaflets almost always entire at the apex
......................................................................................  17. Chrysalidocarpus

22b. Male flowers asymmetry usually, not rounded or globose; stigmatic remains usually at the apex of the fruit.

23a. Inflorescence branching to 2–3 orders, extending, sometimes drooping; rachilla usually zigzag conspicuous; flowers spirally arranged, male flowers slightly larger than female ones when the spathe opening; stamens 8–24; fruit globose to ellipsoid; endosperm ruminate
...................................................................................  19. Archontophoenix

23b. Inflorescence branching to 3 orders, usually not extending, rachilla erect, without zigzag; flowers spirally, 2-farious or whorled-arranged, or at one side of the rachilla only; male flower usually as 3 times long or more as female ones.

24a. Inflorescence protandrous, spicate; or branching to 1–3 orders; rachilla and its base bearing a few flowers in triad, paired or solitary spirally, 2-farious or on the one side male flowers at the upper part; stamens 3, 6, 9 or up to 30 or more; gynoecium unilocular, uniovulate, stigmas 3; fruit globose, ovoid or spindled-shaped, stigmatic remains at the apex; endosperm deeply ruminate, embryo basal .............................................................  20. Areca

24b. Inflorescence protogynous, spicate or branching to 1 order only; all of the rachilla bearing spirally arranged or 2-rows in triad flowers, or triad in 4 or 6-vertical rows; stamens usually 12–30, rarely 6; gynoecium unilocular, uniovulate, stigmas usually convolute, sessile or on a short style; fruit globose or ellipsoid to spindle-shaped, sometimes narrow spindle-shaped and curved; endosperm deeply ruminate or very rarely subruminate or homogeneous, embryo basal ....................................................................................  21. Pinanga

1. PHOENIX Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1188. 1753

________________  ci kui shu (_______________  hai zao shu)

Shrubs or trees, solitary or clustering palm, usually with older leaf bases or deciduous leaf scars. Leaves pinnate; leaflets narrowly lanceolate or linear, induplicate on the bud, the lowest ones reduced as spines. Inflorescences interfoliar; spathe sheathlike, coriaceous; flowers solitary, dioecious, male flowers calyx cupule, 3-toothed apex, petals 3, stamens 6 or 3(9), filaments very short or almost absent; female flowers globose, calyxes similar to that of the male flower, enlarge after flowering, petals 3, staminodes usually 6, carpels 3, distinct, one ovule in each cell, stigma not. Fruit oblong to subglobose. 1-seeded, longitudinally grooved; endosperm homogeneous or subruminate, embryo lateral or sub-basal.

Ca. 17 species, tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa. 2 species in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan and Yunnan of China. Many species were introduced to cultivate for ornamental purpose.

1a... Trees, tall and robust, leaflets; in group of 2 or 3, fruit large, up to 6.5 cm, thick pulp, deep orange when ripe ...................................................................................................................  1. P. dactyliferia

1b.. Shrub, clustering or solitary palm; fruit small, not over 3 cm, thin pulp.

2a... Leaflets bifarious on rachis, gray furfuraceous on the vein of leaflets abaxially; female partial inflorescences long and slender; a conspicuous mucronate on the calyx apex; ripe fruit reddish, test Chinese date  2. P. roebelenii

2b.. Leaflets arranged in 4 on rachis, not furfuraceous on the vein abaxially; female partial inflorescences short and robust; not mucronate on the calyx apical; ripe fruit purple-black .................  3. P. hanceana

1. Phoenix dactylifera Linn. Sp. Pl. 1. 188. 1753.

  hai zao___________  yi la ke zao  ________  zao ye zi

Tree, up to 35 m tall, with persistent leaf bases. Leaves to 6 m; leaflets linear-lanceolate, 18–40 cm, acuminate apex, grayish-green, in groups of 2–3, with hair, the lower ones reduced as a spine. Inflorescence a densely panicle; male flowers oblong or ovate, white; female flowers subglobose; sepals enlarged after flowering; staminodes scalelike. Fruits oblong or oblong-ellipsoidal, 3.5–6.5 cm, deep orange when ripe, with thick layer pulp. 1-seeded longitudinally grooved. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Sep–Oct.

Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan [N Africa, W Asia]. Natural fl. in Yuanmou, Yuanjiang of Yunnan, and Xiashi of Guangxi.

An important fruit group in tropical areas. Fruit edible, inflorescence can be used for sugar making, leaf for paper making, stems for building materials and gullet, ornamental plant.

2. Phoenix roebelenii O’Brien in Gard. Chron. ser. 3. 6: 475. f. 68. 1889.

  jiang bian ci kui  ________  ruan ye ci hui

Phoenix humilis Royle var. loureirii Beccari, in Males. 3: 382. 1890. p. p. Quoad Syn. P. roebelenii O’Brien.

Stems clustering, usually solitary when culture, 1–3 m tall, rarely more, up to 10 cm in diam., with persistent triangular leaf bases. Leaves 1–1.5(–2) m; leaflets linear, soft, 20–30(–40) ΄ 5–10(–15) cm, deeply green, with gray scale-furfuraceous along the veins abaxially, in 2-farious, the lower ones reduced as a spines. Spathe 30–50 cm, 2-lobed apex only; male inflorescence longer than female; partial inflorescence up to 20 cm; male flowers calyxes ca. 1 mm; petals lanceolate, ca. 9 mm; female flowers subovate, ca. 6 mm; with conspicuous mucronate calyx apex. Fruit oblong, 1.4–1.8 ΄ 0.6–0.8 cm, reddish when ripe, thin pulp and was Chinese date’s test. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Jun–Sep.

Along river banks, 500–900 m. S & SW Yunnan (Xishuangbanna, Shuangjiang). Cultivated in Guangdong, Guangxi [India, Myanmar, Vietnam]. An ornamental plant.

3. Phoenix hanceana Naudin in Journ. Bot. 17: 174. 1879.

  ci hui

Phoenix hanceana Naudin var. formosana Beccari; P. humilis Royle var. hanceana (Naudin) Beccari.

Stems clustering or solitary, 2–5 m tall, more 30 cm in diam. Leaves up to 2 m; leaflets linear, 15–35 ΄ 1–1.5 cm, solitary or in groups of 2–3, 4-farious. Spathe 15–20 cm, brown, not splinted as 2 boat-shape limbs; peduncle more 60 cm; female inflorescence branching short and robust, 7–15 cm; male flowers nearly white; calyx 1–1.5 mm; female flower 4.5 mm, calyx ca. 1 mm, without triangular tooth. Fruit oblong, 1.5–2 cm, purplish-black when ripe. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Jun–Oct.

Broad-leaved forest or conifer and broad-leaved mixed forest, 800–1500 m. Guangdong (Guangzhou, S Islands), Guangxi, S and W Hainan, Taiwan (Tainan), S Yunnan. An ornamental plants, its fruits edible, growing tips (shoot) used for vegetable, leaves are used for broom.

2. TRACHYCARPUS H. Wendland in Bull. Soc. Bot. France 8: 429. 1861.

  zong lό shu

Trees or shrubs, trunk covered by conspicuous persistent dead leaves or partial bared; sheath disintegrating into a netlike coarse fibers, surround the stem and the upper elongate to form a brown, slender, membranous, ligule-like appendage. Leaves rounded or half rounded, palmate, divided to form many single-fold segments, induplicate; petiole with fine rough tuberculate or finely rounded-teethed on both sides, a conspicuous hastula apical. Flowers dioecious, occasionally monoecious or polygamo-monoecious; inflorescence robust, interfoliar, inflorescence similar in both sexes, branching to multi- or twice-orders; several spathe, embracing the peduncle and branching; flowers in groups of 2–4, or rarely solitary borne on rachilla; male flower calyx deeply 3-lobed or almost free, corolla longer than the calyx; stamens 6, filament distinct, anther dorsifixed; female flower calyx and corolla similar to ones of male flowers, staminodes 6, arrow-like, carpels 3, distinct, hairy, ovate, the upper becoming narrow to form a short conoideus style, ovule basal. Fruit broad kidney-shaped or oblong, hilumed or slightly grooved on raphe, epicarp membranous, mesocarp subcarnous, endocarp crustaceous, adnated on the seed. Seed similar to the fruit, endosperm homogenous, carnous, with a large lateral intrusion of integument, embryo lateral or dorsal.

1a... Juvenile trunk with few marcescent dead leaves, sheath netlike fiber enclosed the trunk but fall off naturally after sometime, trees, solitary; inflorescence robust, branched to 3–4 orders from axil  3. T. princeps

1b.. Trunk with persistent dead leaves, closed the trunk with netlike fiber.

2a... Trunk solitary, tree; inflorescence robust, 2–3 branches from the axil ..............  1. T. fortunei

2b.. Stemless, shrubby; infloresence slender, erect from the ground, only 2-branched .  2. T. nana

1. Trachycarpus fortunei (Hooker) H. Wendland in Bull. Soc. Bot. France 8: 429. 1861.

  zong lό  __________  ben lό  __________  zong shu

Chaemaerops fortunei Hooker in Curtis’s Bot. Mag. 86: t. 5221. 1860; Trachycarpus excelsus H. Wendland,.

Tree, 3–10 m tall or more, trunk cylindrical, clothed throughout with not caducous old leafbases and conferted netlike fiber. Naked trunk 10–15 cm in diam. or more. Leaves 3/4 rounded or subrounded, deeply divided into 30–50 segments; segment wrinkle, linear-reniform, 60–70 ΄ 2.5–4 cm, with short 2-lobed or 2-toothed apex, stiff or drooping apex; petiole with crenate on each sides; with conspicuous hastula apex. Inflorescence robust, branched to multiple orders, usually dioecious; male inflorescence ca. 40 cm, branched to 2 orders, with 2–3 partial inflorescences; male flowers ovoid, mostly in groups of 2–3, or solitary; female inflorescence 80–90 cm, branched to 2–3 orders, with 4–5 partial inflorescences; female flowers globose, usually in groups of 2–3; staminodes 6, carpel with white hair. Fruit broad kidney-shaped, hilumed, 11–12 ΄ 7–9 mm, from yellow to yellowish when ripe, pruinose. Seed endosperm homogeneous, corneous, embryo lateral. Fl. Apr, fr. Dec.

Secondary forest, up to 2000 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Fujian, Hunan, N to Hubei (Nanzhang), Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan].

Trunk fiber used for making cord, weaving raincoat, terra, brush and sofa fill’s materials; younger leaves used for making fans and straw hat; not opening flowers know as “palm-fish” edible; palm fiber and petiole can be used as a hemostasia medicine, fruit, leaves, flower, and roots can be used as medicine. It is also used as an ornamental plant.

2. Trachycarpus nana Beccari in Webbia 3: 187. 1910; 5(1): 70. 1920.

  long zong

Trachycarpus dracocephalus Ching & Hsu.

Shrubby, 0.5–0.8 m tall; stemless, rhizome nodes conferted, roots numerous, recurved to up, as dragon-shaped, so naming “long zong”. Leaves fascicled on the ground, its shape similar to ones of T. fortunei, but very small and very deep divided; segments linear-lanceolate, 25–55 ΄ 1.5–2.5 cm, shallowly 2-lobed apex, adaxially green, abaxially glauescent; petiole 25–35 cm, densely toothed apex or without. Inflorescence emerged from the ground, erect, slender, 40–48 cm, usually branching to 2 orders; dioecious, male inflorescence flowers conferter than the ones of female; male flowers globose, glabrous, fertile stamens 6, staminodes 3; female flowers globose-ovate, carpel with silvery hair, ovule 3, only one fertile. Fruit broad kidney-shape, black-blue, 10–12 ΄ 6–8 mm. Seed shape similar to fruit, endosperm homogeneous, embryo lateral. Fl. Apr, fr. Oct.

* 1500–2300 m. SE Guizhou (Libo), S, NW and C Yunnan.

A dwarf beautiful plant for advanced miniascape and ornamental.

3. Trachycarpus princeps Gibbons, Spanner & S. Y. Chen in Principes 39(2): 65–74. 1995.

  gong shan zong lό

Tree, up to 10 m tall, the juvenile plants with few persistent dead leaves, trunk clothed netlike fibrous leaf-sheaths, bared after it naturally caduccous; trunks 13–16 cm in diam. Leaves semi- to 3/4 circular, regularly divided ca. half its length into 45–48 stiff, linear segments, which 60–80 ΄ 3–3.5 cm, with acute retuse apex, shortly 2-lobed; leaves dark green abaxial surface, wax-white abaxial surface; finely toothed along the petiole margins; short hastula apex, triangular, regularly crested. Dioecious, inflorescence few, robust, interfoliar; male inflorescences ca. 50 cm, branched to 4 orders; female inflorescences ca. 75 cm, branched to 3 orders; flowers not seen. Fruit with short stalk, subreniform to almost oval, 8 ΄ 10 ΄ 7.5 mm, black, with a white bloom when ripe. Seed reniform, 6 ΄ 8.5 ΄ 5.5 mm, endosperm homogeneous, corneous, embryo lateral.

* Banks of the Nujiang, bare marble cliff of the Shi Men Guan, 1500–1900 m. Yunnan (Bingzhongluo, Gongshan county).

Trachycarpus martianus auct. non H. Wendland: Handel-Mazzetti, Symb. Sin. 7(5): 1360. 1936; Fl. Reipubl. Sin. 13(1): 14, 1991.

3. GUIHAIA J. Dransfield, S. K. Lee et F. N. Wei in Principes 29: 7. 1985.

  shi shan zong shu

Dwarf, clustering palm, stem short or very short, leaf-sheath clothed with spiny or netlike fiber. Leaves palmate, flabellate or subrounded, reduplicate, single folded (rarely 2-folded) segment, the most outside one is half fold reduplicate, dark green adaxial surface, glabrous, abaxially, covered with a dense felt of silvery woolly hairs or glabrous except for scattered dotlike scales, minutely toothed or smooth along margin; petiole unarmed, with adaxial hastula rounded (ligule-shape) apex. Inflorescence dioecious, pleonanthic, solitary, interfoliar, branching to 4 orders, male flower is similar to female; peduncle elongate, bract absent; rachis bracts (primary spathe) ca. 2–5, first-branchces 4–5. Male flower sepals 3, connate, subrounded to ovate, abaxially bearing hair; petals longer than the sepals, basally connate, ca. 1/3–1/2 their length, with rounded lobes apex, glabrous; stamens 6, the filaments not forming a staminal tube, but completely adnate to the corolla, anthers more or less rounded, didymous, borne on the corolla; pistillode absent; female flowers similar to the male; petals only slightly longer than to more twice as long as the sepals, joined in the basal ca. 1/3; staminodes 6, borne on the petals; carps 3, distinct, glabrous, abruptly narrowed to a short style, ovule basal. Fruit developing from only one carpel, globose to elliptoidal, blue-black and bearing thin white wax; the stigma remains apical. Seeds flatted on one side with lateral hilum and conspicuous rounded intrusion of integument; endosperm; homogeneous; embryo lateral.

Two species: China and Vietnam; both species in China, one endemic.

1a... Stem very short, usually inconspicuous due to the stem with the older leaf-sheaths; leaves different color on both surfaces, abaxially densely covered in felt of silvery woolly hairs, sheaths disintegration into a spiny fiber; calyx obtuse apex, abaxially with pilose, adaxially scale absent, ciliate along the margins; fruit subglobose              1. G. argyrata

1b.. Stem ca. 1 m tall, with older leaf-sheath at the apex only; leaves slightly different color on both surface, abaxially covered in scattered scales; leaf-sheath disintegration to screen and flat fiber, entire at margins; sepals with mucronate apex, abaxially glabrous, adaxially with scales, ciliate absent at margins; fruit ellipsoid      2. G. grossefibrosa

1. Guihaia argyrata (S. K. Lee & F. N. Wei) S. K. Lee, F. N. Wei & J. Dransfield in Principes 29: 9–12. 1985.

  shi shan zong  _______  ya zong

Trachycarpus argyratus S. K. Lee et F. N. Wei in Guihaia 2: 131–133, t. 4. 1982.

Dwarf, clustering palm; stem 0.5–1 m tall, decumbent or erect, very short, ca. 3–5 cm in diam., with conferted of leaf scars and old leaf-sheaths. Leaves flabellate or subrounded, 40–50 cm in diam., palmate deeply divided to 3/4–4/5 of their length, single (rarely 2-) folded reduplicate segments; segements 20–26, ca. 2.5 cm in wide, very short 2-lobed apex, adaxially green, abaxially covered in felt of silvery woolly hairs; petiole up to 1 m or; sheath tubular at first, later disintegration into an erect, dark brown spiny fiber. Inflorescence 30–80, with 2–5 partial inflorescences, branching to 4 orders. Male flowers bud ca. 1.5 mm or less, sepals apex obtuse, abaxially with pilose, adaxially scale absent, ciliate along the margins; corolla glabrous; female calyxes and corollas similar to male. Fruit subglobose, 6 mm in diam., epicarp blue-black, covered with wax. Seeds ca. 4–5 mm in diam., endosperm homogeneous, embryo lateral. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Oct–Nov.

* N Guangdong (Yingde), NE & SW Guangxi, S Yunnan (Jianshui).

Dwarf and beautiful palms for miniascape ornamental.

2. Guihaia grossfibrosa (Gagnepain) J. Dransfield, S. K. Lee & F. N. Wei in Principes: 29: 12. t. 8. 1985.

  liang guang shi shan zong

Rhapis grossefibrosa Gagnepain in Notulae Syst. 6: 159. 1937; R. filiformis Burret ex F. N. Wei, syn. nov.

Clustering palms up to 1.8 m tall; stem 2–3 cm in diam., old leaf-sheath only apex. Leaves palmate divided to 4/5 of their length or to the base, segments 10–21, single (rarely 2–) folded reduplicate, 2-clefted apex, adaxially glabrous, abaxially subglaucous, covered in scattered scales; petiole 40–50 cm or more; sheath tubular, at the opposite of the petiole prolongated a triangularly ligule-lobe, disintegration to screen broad and flat fiber, entire at the margin. Inflorescence 80 cm, with 2–5 partial inflorescences, branching to 4 orders. Male flowers ca. 2.2 mm; sepals with mucronate apex, abaxially glabrous, adaxially with scales, ciliate absent at margins; female flowers ca. 2.2 ΄ 1.5 mm. Fruit ellipsoid, 6–8 ΄ 4–5 mm, epicarp blue-black. Seed ellipsoid, ca. 5 ΄ 2.5 mm. Fl. May, fr. Aug.

S Guangdong (Yangchun), SW Guangxi, SE Guizhou (Libo) [Vietnam].

4. RHAPIS Linnaeus f. ex Aiton Hort. Kew. 3: 473. 1789.

  zong zhu shu

Clustering, shrubby palm. Stems small, erect, leaf-sheath covered with net-shaped fibrous. Leaves flabellate or palmate, divided to their base, segments several-folded, induplicate, linear or linear-ellipsoid or lanceolate, towarding narrowly upper parts, short incised apex, finely toothed at margins, veins conspicuous; petiole margin glabrous or serrulate, hastula apex. Inflorescence dioecious or polygamous, interfoliar, male inflorescence similar to female, branching to 2–3 orders, solitary or spirally arranged in the rachilla; male flower calyx cupular, 3-lobed distally, corolla obovate or claviform, short 3-lobed, stamens 6, 2-whorls, filaments adnate to the corolla tube, anther short, rounded, dorsifixed; female flower calyx and corolla similar to male, sepals with fleshy and solid base, ovary 3-carpels, distinct, ovules 3, basal, staminodes 6. Fruit usually developing from 1 carpel, globose or ovoid, with apical stigmatic remains. Seed solitary, globose or subglobose, hilum linear-oblong, raphe inconspicuous, endosperm homogeneous, with conspicuous rounded intrusion of integument nearly raphe, embryo opposite the raphe, sub-basal or lateral.

Ca. 12 species, E and SE Asia. 5 species in SW, S China.

1a... Leaf-sheath with blackish, rough, stiff, horsetail, net-shaped fiber; leaves palmately parted, segments 4–10, unequal, 20–30 ΄ 1.5–5 cm, broad-linear or linear-lanceolate, 2–5 costa-nerved, truncate and with many pairs slightly partite small lobelets apex, margins and costa-nerve with slightly sharp serrulate  1. R. excelsa

1b.. Leaf-sheath with brown slender net-shaped fiber; leaves segments costa-nerve and margins with serrulate or only margin with serrulate or finely toothed.

2a... Leaf-sheath fiber robust; leaves palmately parted; segments 16–20(–30), linear-lanceolate, 28–36 ΄ 1.5–1.8 cm, usually 2 conspicuous costa-nerved, attenuate apex, with 2–3(–4) short lobelets, margins and costa-nerve with serrulate ...............................................................................................  2. R. multifida

2b.. Leaf-sheath fiber slender.

3a... Leaves palmately parted; segments 7–10(–20), linear, 15–25 ΄ 0.8–2 cm, 1–2(–3) costa-nerved, margins and costa-nerve with serrulate, shortly 2–3 lobed apex, slightly acuminate ....  3. R. humilis

3b... Leaves palmately parted; segments 2–4, oblong-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 3–4 costa-nerved, narrowly or short acuminate apex with sharp-toothed.

4a... Leaves segments oblong-lanceolate, 15–18 ΄ 1.7–3.5 cm, attenuate apex with irregularly toothed, margins and costa-nerve with rough and serrulate ....................................  4. R. gracilis

4b.. Leaves segments 4, broad-lanceolate to lanceolate, 20–25 ΄ 2.5–4.5 cm, short acuminate apex with sharp-toothed, margins with serrulate only ...............................................  5. R. robusta

1. Rhapis excelsa (Thunberg) Henry ex Rehder in Journ. Arnold Arbor. 11: 153. 1930.

  zong zhu  _________  jin tou zhu  __________  guan yin zhu  ________  hu san zhu

Chamaerops excelsa Thunberg, Fl. Jap. 130. 1784; Rhapis flabellateis L’Herit ex Aiton Hort. Kew. 3: 473. 1789.

Clustering, shrub palm, 2–3 m tall, 1.5–3 cm in diam., the upper leaf-sheaths disintegration blackish, rough, stiff, horsetail, net-shaped fibers. Leaves palmately parted, segments 4–10, inequal, 2–5 costa-nerved, 20–30 ΄ 1.5–5 cm, broad-linear or linear-lanceolate, broadly, truncate and with many pairs slightly partite small lobes apex, margins and costa-nerve with slightly sharp serrulate; petiole margins slightly roughed, hastula apex semi-rounded or obtuse-triangular, haired. Inflorescence ca. 30 cm, 2–3 partial inflorescences. Male flower buds ovate-oblong, 5–6 mm, calyx cup-shaped, deeply 3-lobed, corolla 3-lobed; female flowers short and robust, 4 mm. Fruit globose ovoid, 8–10 mm in diam. Seed globose, embryo opposite the raphe, nearly base. Fl. Jun–Jul.

S and SW China [Japan].

Ornamental palm, root and leaf-sheaths for medicine.

2. Rhapis multifida Burret in Notibl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 588. 1937.

  duo lie zong zhu

Shrubs, clustering palm, 2–3 m tall or more, to 1.5–2.5 mm in diam. with sheath, ca. 1 cm without sheath. Leaves palmately parted; segments 16–20(–30), linear-lanceolate, 28–36 ΄ 1.5–1.8 cm, usually 2 conspicuous costa-nerved, attenuate apex, with 2–3(–4) short lobes, margins and costa-nerve with serrulate; petiole long, hastula, ovate-rounded to semi-rounded, covered with yellowish-brown or dark brown lanose; sheaths fibrous, brown, regularly arranged, robust. Inflorescence branching to 2 orders, 40–50 cm. Flowers not seen. Fruit globose, 9–10 mm in diam., yellow to yellowish-brown when ripe. Seed semi-globose, 6 ΄ 5 mm, endosperm homogeneous, deeply pitted, embryo lateral the opposite of the middle parts of raphe. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Oct–Nov.

W Guangxi, SE Yunnan. Ornamental.

3. Rhapis humilis Blume in Rumphia 2: 54. 1836.

  ai zong zhu  _________  zhu zong  _________  zong lό zhu

Chamaerops excelsa Thunberg var. humilior Thunberg in Fl. Jap. 130. 1784.

Shrubs, clustering palm, 1 m tall or more, the upper leaf-sheath with netlike capillary, brownish fiber. Leaves palmately parted; segments 7–10(–20), linear, 15–25 ΄ 0.8–2 cm, 1–2(–3) costa-nerved, margins and costa-nerve with serrulate, 2–3 lobed apex, slightly acumiinate; petiole ca. as long as leave, slender, hastula apex ovate-rounded, with hair or glabrous. Dioecious, male inflorescence 25–30 cm, with 3–4 partial inflorescences; male flower bud ovate, calyx cup-shape campanulate, with irregularly 3-lobes, corrolla short 3-lobes, downwarding to narrwoing tubular, 1/3 of the base solided; female flower not seen. Fruit not seen. According ot the literature, fruit globose, ca. 7 mm in diam., persistent corolla solid cylindrical. Seed globose, ca. 4.5 mm in diam. Fl. Jul–Aug.

S to SW China.

Cultivated in many places. Ornamental.

4. Rhapis gracilis Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 10: 883. 1930.

  xi zong zhu

Clustering, shrub palm, 1–1.5 m tall; stem cylinders, ca. 1 cm in diam. Leaves palmately parted divided into 2–4 segments segments oblong-lanceolate, 15–18 ΄ 1.7–3.5 cm, 3–4 costa-nerved, attenuate apex with irregularity toothed, margins and costa-nerved with serrulate; petiole slender, obtuse triangular or subrounded hastula apex; leaf-sheath covered with brown, netlike finely fiber. Inflorence ca. 20 cm, a few branched, very spreading; flowers small, dioecious. Fruit globose, blue-green, 8–9 mm in diam. Seed globose, 6–7 mm in diam. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Oct–Nov.

* W Guangdong, S Guangxi, S Hainan.

A dwarf and beautiful palm for ornamental.

5. Rhapis robusta Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 587. 1937.

  cu zong zhu  _______  long zhou zong zhu

Clustering shrub palms, ca. 2 m tall or more; stem cylinders, ca. 2 cm in diam. Leaves palmate deeply to 4-segments, segments broad-lanceolate to lanceolate, 20–25 ΄ 2.5–4.5 cm, 3–4 costa-nerved, short acuminate apex, sharp-toothed, margins with serrulate; upper parts of petiole with triangular hastula; fiber of leaf-sheath brown, slender, interwoven forming to a regularly net. Inflorescence axilly, 15–25 cm, branched to 3 orders; flowers dioecious, female flower calyx campanulate, 2 mm, 3-lobed apex; 4 mm angusti-cylinder at the calyx base between the calyx and corolla. Fruit not seen. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Oct.

* S Guangxi (Longzhou). Ornamental.

5. LIVISTONA R. Brown, Prodr. fl. Nov. Holl. 267. 1810.

  pu kui shu

Sarbus Blume, Rumphia 2: 48. t. 95, 96. 1836.

Trees, erect, solitary palm, stem with a ringed of leaf scars. Leaves large, broadly reniform flabellate or subrounded, flabellate-fold, radiate or palmate divided to several single fold or single costa-nerved (rarely multi-fold) segments; segments with short or deep 2-lobes; leaf-sheath with netlike fiber; petiole long, without spines on both sides or more or less spined or toothed, conspicuous hastula on the apex, abaxially slightly prolongated a slender rachis. Inflorescence axillary, with several tubular spathes, multi-branched, drooped when fruiting; flowers bisexual, solitary or fascicled; calyx deeply divided to 3 sepals; corolla distinct nearly to the base; 3-lobed; stamens 6, lower parts of filaments connate to form a fleshy ring, the apex short subulate, distinct, anther erect, dorsifixed; ovary 3-carpels, distinct at the base, basally connate to form a common style, with dotlike or minutely 3-lobed stigma, ovule basifixed, anatropal. Fruit usually developing from 1 carpel, globose, ovoid or ellipsoidal, the apex with a remained stigma, pericarp smooth. Seed ellipsoidal or globose or ovoid, large ventral intrusion of integument, endosperm homogeneous, embryo lateral.

Ca. 30 species, Tropical areas of Asia, Oceania. 3 species in SW to SE China.

1a... Leave segment apex parted into 2 slender filiform pendulous lobelets; petiole covered with brownish recurved short on both sides of the lower portion; fruit smaller, 1.8–2.2 ΄ 1–1 cm, black-brown  1. L. chinensis

1b.. Leave segments shallowly 2-lobed apical, without drooping; petiole densely covered with strongly black-brown spines; fruit larger, obovoid or ellipsoid.

2a... Fruit ovate-ovoid, 2.3–2.5 ΄ 1.5–2 cm .........................................................  2. L. speciosa

2b.. Fruit ellipsoid, 3–3.5 ΄ 2–2.5 cm ....................................................................  3. L. saribus

1. Livistona chinensis (Jacquin) R. Brown, Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 268. 1810.

  pu kui

Latania chinensis Jacquin, Fragm. Bot. 16. t. 11. f. 1. 1809;Saribus chinensis Bl.; Livistona olivaeformis Martius; L. sinensis Griffith.

Trees palm, 5–20 m tall, 20–30 cm in diam., swollen at the base. Leaves broad reniform flabellate, 1 m in diam., palmate divided to 1/2 of their depth into segments; segments linear-lanceolate, 4–4.5 cm width at the base, long apex, the apex bipartited into a 50 cm filiform pendulous lobelets, green adaxially and adaxially;petiole 1–2 m, the base covered with yellowish-green (fresh) or brownish (dried) recurved short spines. Inflorescence coniform, robust, ca. 1 m, ca. 6 partial inflorescences which whith branching 2 or 3 orders. Flowers bisexual, ca. 2 mm; calyx divided to the its base into 3-lobes; corolla divided to half of their length into 3-lobes; stamens connated at the base form a cup and adnate on the corolla base. Fruit ellipsoid (as olive-shaped), 1.8–2.2 ΄ 1–1.2 cm, black-brown. Seeds ellipsoid, 15 ΄ 9 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr.

S China [Peninsula of Indo-China].

Widespread cultivated Guangdong (Xinhui), young leaf for weaving fan; older leaf for making raincoat, costa of leaf segments for making toothpick; fruit and roots for medicine.

2. Livistona speciosa Kurz in Journ. As. Soc. 240. t. 13, 14. 1874.

  mei li pu kui  _________  xiang ou kui

Trees, robust palms, 15–25 m tall or above, stem 30–40 cm in diam. or more. Leaves large, 3/4 of it is rounded or subrounded, adaxially deep green, abaxially glaucescent, with a large not divided center part, toward outside divided into many segments which divided again into short 2-lobelets, 3–5 cm, not drooping apex; petiole robust, 1.5–2 m, margins especially the base with strong, recurved black-brown spines which apex falcate. Inflorescence axillary, robust, up to 1.3 m, with 4–6 partial inflorescence which branching to 2–3 orders; flowers 5–6 (the lower ones) or 2–3 (the upper ones) congregated, ca. 2 mm; calyx and corolla divided to half of their depth into 3-lobes; stamens at the base connate to form cup-shaped, partial adnate to the corolla base. Fruit obovoid, dark blue, 2.3–2.5 ΄ 1.5–2 cm. Seed ellipsoid or subovate-globose, 1.5–1.8 ΄ 1–1.4 cm. Fl. and fr. Sep.

S Yunnan [Myanmar]. Ornamental, fruit edible.

It is easy confusion with L. saribus in morphs, but differs from L. saribus by its fruit ellipsoid, and L. speciosa with small ovoid fruit.

3. Livistona saribus (Lourerio) Merrill ex A. Chevalier in Bull. Econ. Indo-Chine 21: 501. 1919.

  da ye pu kui  _____  da pu kui

Corypha saribus Lourerio Fl. Cochichin. 1: 212. 1790. Livistona fengkaiensis X. W. Wei & M. Y. Xiao.

This species is close to Livistona speciosa in shape but differs from L. saribus by leaves green two surface, fruit ellipsoid, large, 3–3.5 ΄ 2–2.5 cm, seed also large, ca. 2.3 ΄ 1.6 cm. Fr. Sep.

Guangdong (Fengkai), E to W Hainan, S Yunnan [Vietnam].

Livistona fenkaiensis X. W. Wei & M. Y. Xiao is close to L. speciosa in leaves and fruit, only its fruit larger than ones of L. speciosa. This is not distinct to be identified separately from L. speciosa.

6. LICUALA Thunberg in Kongl. Vet. Acad. Nya Handl. 3: 286. 1872.

  zhou lό shu

Shrubs, clustering or solitary palms, with a ringed of leaf scars. Leaves more or less rounded or flabellate, palmately parted into single-fold to several-folds cuneate-truncate segments or undivided, segments truncate or toothed apex; petiole margins with spines, leaf-sheath fibrous. Inflorescence interfoliar, branched or not branched, with tubular spathe; flowers bisexual; calyx cup or tubular, 3-lobed or irregularly splitting; corolla deeply 3-lobes; stamens 6, filaments distinct or the lower parts connate to form a conspicuous tube, with equal 6-toothed or 3-lobed staminate ring apex; ovary developing from distinct or subdistinct 3-carpels, apical connate to form a slender style with dotlike stigma; ovule basifixed, anatropal. Drupe small, globose to ellipsoid, rarely narrow-oblong, epicarp membranous, smooth, rarely with corky-warted, mesocarp fleshy, somewhat fibrous, endocarp thin, crustaceus, with stigmatic remains apex. Seed globose, smooth or with large convulute intrusion of seed coat, endosperm homogeneous, corneous; embryo lateral.

Ca. 100 species, tropical Asian, Australia, Australia Islands. 3 species in S and SW China.

1a... Inflorescence branching to 2 orders, the secondary branch (spikelets) usually 19(–15) cm
..........................................................................................................................  1. L. spinosa

1b.. Inflorescence branching to 1 order, the first branch (spikelets) 3–14–20 cm.

2a... Spikelets 15–20 cm, cover with floccose furfuraceous; flowers in cluster of 2–3 around the stalk-shaped tubercle of rachilla ........................................................................................  2. L. fordiana

2b.. Spikelets 8–14 cm, robuster; rachilla and flowers densely covered with dark brown scale-shaped hairs, flowers 8–10 rows arranged around the short tubercle of rachilla ................  3. L. dasyantha

1. Licuala spinosa Thunberg in Kongl. Vet. Acad. Nya Handl. 3: 284. 1782.

  ci zhou lό

Corypha pilearia Louerio, Fl. Cochinchin. 213. 1790. Licuala pilearia (Lourerio) Blume; L. spinosa Wurmb. var. cochinchinensis Beccari.

Clustering shrub palms, 2–5 m tall, 3–7 cm in diam. Leaves radiation deeply divided to nearly its base, rounded-reniform or 3/4 rounded, 1 m in diam. or more; segments 8–22, cuneate, the middle ones 30–50 ΄ 7 cm, others subnarrow, erose-lobelets apex; petiole 70–100 cm, usually with spines each side or lower parats. Inflorescence 60–100 cm or more, with 2–3 paniculate partial inflorescence with 5 or more spikelets, sometimes the base of the partial inflorescence branch to 3 orders, rachilla 10–15 cm; spathe tubular, covered with easy deciduous red brown furfuraceous. Flowers sessile, in cluster of 2–3 flowers at the rachilla lower part, solitary at the upper; calyx 3-lobes, divided to half of its length, corolla 1/3 longer than calyx; stamens at the base connate to form a ring-shaped; ovary glabrous. Fruit globose or obovoid, 7–9 mm in diam., orange to purple-red when ripe. Fr. May–Jun.

E-W Hainan [India, Peninsula of Indo-China, Tropical SE Asian].

2. Licuala fordiana Beccari in Malesia 3: 198. 1886.

  sui hua zhou lό

Clustering shrub palms, 1.5–3 m tall. Leaves semi-rounded divided to its base, segment 16–18, cuneate, 25–42 cm, 2.5–4 cm width nearly the apex, obtuse toothed apex; petiole; 85 cm or more, the lower ones with spines. Inflorescences 50–100 cm, with 2–3 partial inflorescences or basal forficate 15–20 cm spikelets, rachilla densely covered with floccose furfuraceous; flowers in cluster of 2–3 around the stalk-shaped tubercle of rachilla, subspindle, 6–8 ΄ 2.5 mm; calyx tubular campaniform, the base contract to substalk, 3-lobed, with brownish floccus, covered with sparsely floccose at the base, corolla 1/3 longer than calyx or more. Fruit globose, 8 mm in diam. Fl. May.

* E to W Hainan, SE Guangdong.

3. Licuala dasyantha Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 15: 334. 1941.

  mao hua zhou lό

Shrub palm, 1–2 m tall, 2–3 cm in diam. Leaves 2/3 rounded, blue-green, replicate, divided to its base into 7–9 cuneate segments, several costa-nerved which directly up to the apex; the central segments up to 45 cm, 50 cm in width apex, truncate, emarginate, ca. 25 costa-nerved which directly up to the apex, others oblique truncate, shorter and narrower, deeply emarginate, the most outside ones conspicuous toward narrowing and short, oblique cuneate, ca. 25 cm, ca. 5 cm in width apex; petiole ca. 60 cm, with scattered short spines on the basal sides, abaxially covered with brown furfuraceous. Inflorescence with 2 spikelets which 8–14 cm, peduncle subtended by 1 or 2 spathes which covered with densely dark brown furfuraceous, rachilla and flowers covered with densely dark brown scale-shaped hairs, flowers 8–10 rows arranged around the short tubercle of rachilla, calyx short 3-lobed, covered with densely dark brown scale-shaped hairs, corolla slightly longer than calyx. Fruit not seen. Fr. Apr–May.

* SW Guangxi (Longzhou), SE Yunnan (Hekou, Pingbian).

7. CORYPHA Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1187. 1753.

  bei ye zong shu

Massive, tree, hapaxanthic palm. Leaves large, rounded or semi-rounded, palmate divided, segments with a robust costa-nerve, with 2-lobed or 2-toothed apex; petiole margins with spines, adaxially deeply channeled, abaxially rounded, apical extend into recurved rachis. Inflorescence terminal, large, semi-globose or panicle, pyramid-shaped, spathe 3-order branching, branches subtended by tubular; flowers small, bisexual, in cymose borne on short stalks, flowers with small scale-shaped bracteoles, sessile, sometimes the calyx base extend to form a solid stalk; calyx cup-shaped, 3-lobed, corolla 3-lobes, stamens 6, filament connate basally, others subulate, curved apically, anthers dorsifixed; ovary developing from connate 3-carpels which with single ovule, style short, subulate, 3-stagmas. Fruit cluster of 1–3, globose, with basal abortive carpels and stigmatic remains. Seed globose or subovoid or oblong; endosperm homogeneous, with a central cavity, embryo apical or subapical.

Ca. 8 species, tropical Asian to N Australia. 1 cultivated in China.

1. Corypha umbraculifera Linnaeus Sp. Pl. ed. 3. 1657. 1764.

  bei ye zong  __________  xing li ye ye zi

Massive, robust, tree palm, 18–25 m tall, 50–60 cm in diam., largest one up to 90 cm, with densely ring of leaf scars. Leaves large, 1.5–2 ΄ 2.5–3.5 m, palmate, deeply divide to form sublune segments; segments 80–100, divided to half of its length, ensiform, short 2-lobed, 60–100 ΄ 7–9 cm; petiole 2.5–3 ΄ 7–10 cm, robust, adaxially channeled, margins with short toothed, abaxially apex extended to form recurved costa-shaped rachis. Inflorescence terminal, large, erect, panicle, 4–5 m or more, 30–35 partial inflorescences, the lower partial inflorescences ca. 3.5 m, the upper ones ca. 1 m, branching to 4 orders; flowers small, bisexual, ivory-white, funked. Fruit globose, 3.2–3.5 cm, epicarp with chap crackle when dried; seed subglobose, or ovoid, 1.8–2.0 cm; embryo apical. Fl. Feb–Apr, fr. May–Jun next year.

Cultivated in Yunnan (Xishuangbanna), such as at beside the temple and the botanical garden.

Corpha umbraculifera, as a faith plant, is introduced for widespread cultivation. It is very beautiful for ornamental. Leaves are used for writing instead the paper, some ancient Hindu and Buddhist scriptures were written on its leaves in India, Thailand, Myanmar and Yunnan, as known as “Bei Ye Jin”; juice from inflorescence can be used for making sugar; the young endosperm of seed can be made as sweetmeat (note: ripe endosperm can not eat); seed (endosperm) is very hard, for making buddhist beads or ornament; the core of stem can be water leach for making edible starch; juice from root are used for curing diarrhea; young stem water decoct for curing hot rheum.

8. CHUNIOPHOENIX Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. U. Mus. Berlin-Dahlem 13: 583. 1937.

  qiong zong shu

Clustering palms; stem erect, unarmed, ringed with leaf scars. Leaves palmate irregularly divided almost to the base into single- or several-fold induplicate segments with entire or shallowly toothed apices, segments with prominent adaxial and abaxial ribs, and spare floccose indumentum, midribs prominent abaxially; petiole margins smooth, hastula absent; sheath tubular at first, later splitting usually covered with floccose indumentum. Flowers bisexual or occasionally polygamo-dioecious, pleonanthic; inflorescence interfoliar, spicate or with up to 2 orders of branching; peduncular and peduncle bracts (primary spathe) tubular, rachilla with tubular bracts (secondary spathe) each subtending a flower group; flowers solitary or arranged in a cincinnus of 1–7 flowers, each flower in turn exserted from the rachilla bracts and bearing a tubular or infundibuliform bracteole; calyx tubular, shallow 2–3 lobed; corolla base long stalklike, 2–3-lobed apex; stamens 6, the antesepalous free, the antepetalous adnate to the base of the petals, filaments elongate, wider basally, anthers oval, introse, gynoecium tricarpellate, ovary somewhat stalked, elongate, style 3-grooved, elongate, 3-lobed apex, ovule anatropous. Fruit small, subglobose, dark red when ripe, with apical stigmatic remains. Seed irregularly globose, base with hilum, grooved along raphe, endosperm ruminate or homogeneous, embryo basal.

2 species: China (Hainan), Vietnam; both species in China, one endemic.

1a... Stem taller (3 m or more), robuster; leaves larger, segments up to 14–16; inflorescences larger, multi-branched; fruit ca. 1.5 cm in diam.; endosperm ruminate ..............................................  1. C. hainanensis

1b.. Stem dwarf (1.5–2 m tall); leaves smaller, segments ca. 4–7; inflorescence smaller, unbranched or 2–3 branches; fruit ca. 1.2 cm in diam.; endosperm homogeneous ................................................  2. C. nana

1. Chuniophoenix hainanensis Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 583. 1937.

  qiong zong

Shrub clustering palm, 3 m tall or more, with a sucker developing from the leaf-sheath. Petiole unarmed; leaves segments 14–16, linear, ca. 50 ΄ 1.8–2.5 cm, acuminate apex, not divided or shallowly 2-lobed; . Inflorescence multiple-branched, panicle, mainly axis bracts (primary spathe) tubular, 5–6 cm, covered with early deciduous furfuraceous, branching 3–5, 10–20 cm, densely covered with brown-red infundibuliform bracteole; flowers fuchsia, calyx tubular, 2 mm; petals 2–3, fuchsia, ovate-oblong, 5–6 mm, stamens (4–)6; ovary oblong, 2 mm, gray, endosperm ruminate, embryo basal. Fl. Apr, fr. Sep–Oct.

Scattered forest of mountain areas, C and S Hainan.

Ornamental.

2. Chuniophoenix nana Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin. 15: 97. 1940.

  ai qiong zong

Chuniophoenix humilis C. Z. Tang & T. L. Wu.

Shrub clustering palm, 1.5–2 m tall; stems cylinder, ca. 1 cm in diam., toward upper thicker, purple-brown, with persistent brown leaf-sheath. Petiole 26–55 cm; leaves segments 4–7, oblong-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 24–26 ΄ 6–7 cm; . Inflorescence interfoliar, 20–27 cm, rachis with 3–5 bracts, tubular; unbranched or 2–3 branched, developing from the bracts, branching 15–20 cm, covered with many brownish, oblique-infundibuliform bracteoles, each with 1–2 flowers; flowers yellowish; calyx membranous, tubular, ca. 5 mm, shallowly 2–3 lobed; petals 3-lobes, lanceolate, 5 mm; stamens 6; gynoecium 1, stigma 3-lobed. Fruit flatten-globose, ca. 1.2 cm, puniceus when ripe. Seed subglobose, 9–10 mm in diam., with irregularly grooved striate, brownish, endosperm homogeneous, embryo basal. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Aug.

Hainan (Diaoluoshan, Lingshui) [Vietnam]. Ornamental.

9. BORASSUS Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1187. 1753.

  tang zong shu

Lontarus Adanson, Fam. Pl. 2: 25. 572. 1763.

Robust, tree, unarmed palm, up to 30 m tall. Leaves large, costa-palmate, induplicate, suborbicular to flabellate, divided into numerous single-fold segments, these shortly lobed or lobe absent, petiole robust, margin with teeth, hastula conspicuous. Flowers dioecious, inflorescence large, interfoliar, peduncle subtended by several spathes; male inflorescence branched to 2 orders, rachilla robust, cylinder, adaxially covered with densely scale-like bracteoles; male flowers small each subtended by a bracteole fovea, sepals 3; petals 3, shorter than the sepals; stamens 6, anthers medifixed, pistollode small; female inflorescence unbranched or with a single first-order branch rachilla robust, adaxially bearing few scattered solitary female flowers, female flowers large, each with 2 bracteoles, sepals 3, petals 3, smaller; staminodes 6–8; gynoecium subglobose, 3-carpeled, 3-ovules. Fruit large, subglobose, epicarp smooth, mesocarp thick, fibrous, endocarp comprising 1–3 hard bony pyrenes, stigmatic remains apex. Seed 1–3, shallowly to deeply 2-lobed, pointed, seed capsule adnate attached the pyrenes, endosperm homoegeneous with a central hollow, embryo subapical.

Ca. 8 species in tropical Asia and Africa. 1 species cultivated in China.

1. Borassus flabellifer Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1187. 1753.

  tang zong  _______  shan ye zi  ________  shan ye shu tou lό

Robust, tall palm, 13–20(–33) m tall, 45–60(–90) cm in diam. Leaves suborbicular, up to 1–1.5(–3) cm in diam., segments 60–80, divided into its middle, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, apical 2-lobed; petiole robust, ca. 1 m, margin toothed, apex extend to form a rib up to leaf middle. Male inflorescence ca. 1.5 m, with 3–5 branches, each branch palmate divided to form 1–3 rachilla, rachilla subcylinder; male flower yellow, sepals 3, base adnate, petals short, spoon-shaped, stamens 6, filaments adnate with corolla to form stalk-shaped; female inflorescence ca. 80 cm, ca. with 4 branches, robust, female flower large, globose, ca. 2.5 cm in diam. Fruit large, subglobose, compressed, 10–15(–20) cm in diam., black-brown. Seeds usually 3, endosperm corneous, homogeneous, with a central hollow, embryo subapical. Fr. Aug.

Original tropical Asia and Africa. Cultivated in Yunnan (Xishuangbanna).

It has high economic values. In India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, juice from the robust peduncle for making sugar, wine, making wax and beverage. Leaves are used as ones of Corphya umbraculifera for writing ancient Hindu and Buddhist scriptures, and for thatch, weaving matting and basket, for making green manure; inside immature seed with a gelatin-like endosperm and a little water for drinking; buds sprout from seed and fleshy roots edible; woodiness and hart part of outside the trunk are used for making rafter, stake, and fence, for water transport tube, gullet.

10. PLECTOCOMIA Martius ex Blume in Schultes & Schultes f. Syst. Veg. 7: 1333. 1830.

  gou ye teng shu

Climbing, hapaxanthic rattan palm. Leaf-sheath tubular, knee absent, needle-spines; leaves pinnate, rachis apex extend to form claw-spiny cirrate; leaflets lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acuminate, unarmed, adaxially and abaxially green or abaxially white; ocrea absent. Dioecious, male inflorescence similar to female, produced form the axil of reduced leaves, branching to 2 orders, spike drooping; primary spathe tubular, secondary spathe inner-concave bract-shaped, subtending the rachilla; male rachilla bearing many flowers, female rachilla bearing flowers few, each bracteoled; male flowers in group of 2 in each rachilla dent; calyx 3-toothed lobes, corolla much longer than calyx, deeply 3-petals, stamens 6, anther erect, with parallel pollen cell, female flowers larger than male, calyx deeply 3-lobed, corolla longer than calyx, staminodes 6, base adnate; ovary globose or ovoid, scaled, 3-cells, ovules 3, often only one cell fertile, stigma short, style 3, usually long, subuliform. Fruit globose, pericarp thin, covered in numerous scales; seed flattered globose, endosperm homogenous, embryo basal.

Ca. 16 species: tropical Asia and Australia; 4 species in SW and S China.

1a... Leaflets green on both surfaces, the apex with a acuminate filiform point, narrowly long-lanceolate, 30–50 ΄ 3.5–5.5 cm, margin with cilia spinules; secondary spathe abaxially tomentellate, oblong-obcuneiform, 4–5.5 ΄ 2 cm ...................................................................................................................  1. P. himalayana

1b.. Leaflets adaxially green, abaxially glaucous; the apex acute or acuminate, without filiform point.

2a... Secondary spathe abaxially with rusty-color tomentum, cuneiform-oblong, 5–5.5(–7) ΄ 2.3(–3) cm; leaflets lanceolate, acuminate, 55–60 ΄ 5–5.5 cm or more in width, abaxially slightly white covered with finely furfuraceous, unarmed on both surfaces and margins ....................................  2. P. assamica

2b.. Secondary spathe abaxially glabrous.

3a... Leaflet larger, lanceolate, 50–55 ΄ 5–6 cm, toward apex acuminate to form a subuliform stiff point, abaxially with white puberulent, margin sparsely with spinules; secondary spathe oblong-cuneiform, toward the base narrowly apex acute, 4.5 ΄ 2.5 cm ............................................................  3. P. kerrana

3b... Leaflets smaller, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate or acute, 16–30 ΄ 3–4 cm, adaxially green, margin with spinules, abaxially pruinose; secondary spathe subrhombic, 22 ΄ 13 mm  4. P. microstachys

1. Plectocomia himalayana Griffith in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 100. 1845.

  gao di guo ye teng

Plectomia montana J. D. Hooker & Thomson in J. D. Hooker Fl. Brit. Ind. 6: 478. 1893.

Climbing rattan palm, stem with sheath 4–5 cm in diam., without sheath 2.5–3 cm in diam. or more. Leaves in the pinniferous part ca. 2.2 m, cirrate ca. 1 m, the rachis abaxially with solitary or 2–3 connate claw; leaflets often in groups of 2–3, narrowly lanceolate, toward the base acuminate or acute, toward the apex to form a acuminate filiform point, 30–50 ΄ 3.5–5.5 cm, adaxially and abaxially green, margin with cilia spinules; leaf-sheath with regularly oblique seriate pectinate needle-spines. Inflorescence produced from apical axils, dioecious; male inflorescence (from information) branch in 3 orders, with several 60–80 cm spike partial inflorescences, secondary spathe of rachis oblong-shaped ovate-cuneiform, 4–5.5 ΄ 2 cm, abaxially tomentellate; male flowers lanceolate, acuminate, 7–8 mm, paired; female inflorescence 1–2 m, with 5–6 spike partial inflorescences which 45–60 cm; secondary spathe similar to male, abaxially tomentose; rachilla 20, covered with tobacco-color tomentum, each bearing 5–10 flowers; female flowers 8–9 mm, ovary globose. Fruiting perianth flattened; fruit globose, 15–22 mm, scales ca. in 45 vertical rows, yellowish-brown or brightly blackish, margin toothed and obtused, slightly roughness. Seed adaxially subrounded, flattened, abaxially the center slightly concave, 10–15 ΄ 6–7 mm; endosperm homogenous, embryo basal. Fr. Dec.

Broad-leaves green mountain forest, 1600–1800, S Yunnan and partial SW China [India].

Weaving material and making fence.

2. Plectocomia assamica Griffith in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 97. 1845.

  da guo ye teng

Climbing, robust rattan palm, stem with sheath up to 9 cm in diam. Leaves to 3.7 m in the pinniferous part, apex cirrate 1.5 m or more; leaflets lanceolate, the central ones 55–60 ΄ 5–5.5 cm or more, filiform point absent, conspicuous 3-costa, adaxially green, abaxially slightly white covered with finely furfuraceous, spine absent; the lower part of rachis, petiole abaxially and margin with sparsely robust in group of 3–5 spine, the base comb-shaped, upper spine of rachis sub-semi-whole claw; petiole robust and short, the base 5 cm in wide. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescence 1.2 m, the 7–8 spike partial inflorescences, peduncle robust, ca. 1.5 cm in diam., subtended by tubular primary spathe, partial inflorescence 85 cm, rachis undulate curved, covered with rust-color tomentum, secondary spathe cuneiform-oblong, 5–5.5(–7) ΄ 2.3(–3) cm, abaxially with rusty-color tomentum, apex broad, triangular, acute or slightly obtuse; rachilla ca. 1.5 cm, peduncle of rachilla trigonous, 3–4 mm, bearing several flowers; petal lanceolate; ovary scale pointed and crisped splitting, with rughness lanose. Fruit (not seen, from information) globose, 2.3–2.5 cm, with slightly cylinder beak, rust-red-brown, scale apex cilia deeply divided, covered with densely recurved floccose villose or lanose. Seed globose, ca. 1.8 cm in diam. Fl. Dec.

Tropical forest, 820 m. S Yunnan (Mengla) [India].

Few used.

3. Plectocomia kerrana Beccari in Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc. 12(3): 41. t. 27, 28. 1921; S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 146. 1989.

  guo ye teng

Climbing rattan palm, small than Plectocomia assamica. Leaves ca. 2 m in the pinniferous part, apex cirrate, rachis abaxially with sparsely solitary claw, armed each side, basal leaflets in group of 2–4, apical ones solitary, inequidistant arranged; leaflet lanceolate, 50–55 ΄ 5–6 cm, toward apex acuminate to form a subuliform stiff point, adaxially green, abaxially with white puberulent, marginal costa-never robust than midrib ones, margin with spinules; leaf-sheath covered with grayish short tomentum and glaucous clustering elongate spines. Male partial inflorescences (from information) 75–90 cm, secondary spathe glabrous abaxially, cuneform-oblong, 4.5 ΄ 2.5 cm, the 1/3 upper part broad-triangular, toward the base narrowly, apex acute, rachis slightly zigzag curved, with short and stiff rust-color trichomes hair; rachilla 3.5 cm, trichomes, male flowers lanceolate, 1 cm; female partial inflorescence 50–65 cm, rachis robust, rust-color, roughness, secondary spathe similar to male ones, but lacerated when fruiting; rachilla 2–2.5 cm, bearing ca. 3-flowers, with a short, robust trigonous rust-color coarse peduncle. Fruit perianth flattened; fruit globose, ca. 2 cm in diam., smooth, with slightly papilla and short beak, scales in 45 vertical rows, the central inconspicuous grooved, dark straw-yellow, with reddish-brown narrowly margin which densely and finely ciliate. Seed globose, ca. 1.5 cm in diam. endosperm homogeneous, embryo basal. Fl. Feb, fr. May–Jun.

Evergreen broad-leaves forest, 800–1400. S and SE Yunnan (Mengla, Malipo) [N Thailand].

Few used.

4. Plectocomia microstachys Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 15: 731. 1942; P. Kerrana auct. non Beccari: Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 590. 1937.

  xiao guo ye teng

Climbing rattan palm, stem with sheath ca. 2 cm in diam. Leaves ca. 1 m in the pinniferous part, apex cirrate, rachis abaxially with solitary or connate of 2–3 sparsely claw-spine; leaflets irregularly arranged, several ones in groups, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 16–30 ΄ 3–4 cm, acuminate or acute, adaxially green, abaxially pruinose, margin with spinules, marginal costa-nerve as thick as the midrib; leaf-sheath with slightly densely needle-spine. Male inflorescence ca. 70 cm, with many spike partial inflorescences, ca. 50 cm, rachis slender, zigzag, with short and densely rust-color pubescence furfuraceous, secondary spathe glabrous, small, ca. 22 ΄ 13 mm, subrhombic, rachilla short, slender, bearing 8–12 flowers; male flowers ca. 5 mm, slightly broad lanceolate short and acuminate, glabrous; female flower and fruit not seen. Fl. Dec.

Densely forests. C and N Hainan, S and W Yunnan?.

11. SALACCA Reinward in Syll. Pl. Nov. 2: 3. 1826.

  she pi guo shu  _________  sha la ke ye zi shu

Clustering, short stem or subacaulescent, armed, dioecious palm. Leaves pinnate, leaflets lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, s-shaped or falcate acuminate. Inflorescence interfoliar, male inflorescence branched, bearing several catkin-shaped cylindrical partial inflorescence; peduncle and branch subtending by persistent spathe, male flowers in dyads borne in bracteole axil, bracteole usually with hair; calyx and corolla tubular, 3-lobed; stamens 6, borne at the mouth of the corolla, filament short, wide basally; female inflorescence branched less than male ones, larger; female flowers solitary or in a dyad, larger than male; bracts 2; neuter flowers companion with female flowers, with only one bract; calyx base tubular, apex 3-lobed; corolla as long as calyx or slightly longer, apex 3-lobed; staminodes 6; gynoecium 3-carpels, 3-ovules, imperfectly 3-cells, with flat, smooth or erect spiny pointed scales, style short, stigma 3. Fruit globose, turbinate or ovoid, apex with stigmatic remains, epicarp thin, covered with imbricate reflexed scales, the scale apex smooth or spiny, mesocarp thin, endocarp not conspicuous, seed 1–3, oblong, globose or obtuse-trigonous, fleshy seed coat thick, sour or sweet, endosperm homogenous, hardness, the apex pit with a intrusion seed coat, embryo basal.

Ca. 14, India, tropical regions of Peninsula of Indo-Chinas to Malay Archipeligo. 1 species in W Yunnan of China.

1. Salacca secunda Griffith in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 12. 1844.

  dian xi she pi guo

Calamus collinus Griffith.

Clustering subacaulescent palm. Leaves ca. 6 m, the lower rachis abaxially with needle-spine, upper ones unarmed; leaflets regularly arranged, lanceolate, 50–100 ΄ 5–11 cm, the upper ones toward short, with 3 costa-nerves, adaxially with bristle, margin with sparsely short bristle. Male and female rachis robust, with several partial inflorescences which bearing spikelets; male flower borne in dyads, 8 mm, bracteole linear, with scale-shaped hairs; each spathe subtending a female and neuter flower, bracteole short, covered with long densely villose cilia; female flowers (from information) globose-ovate, 8 mm in diam.; staminode absent; ovary globose, covered with densely aforenamed needle-shaped scale; neuter flower 9 mm. Fruit globose-shaped turbinate, or its shape based on the seed number, from globose (only one seed) to subtrigonous (3-seeds), 6–6.5 cm in diam., epicarp thin, covered with densely dark brown, bright, subuliform-lanceolate 8–10 mm scales; stigmatic remains short point. Seed globose, semi-globose to obtuse-trigonous, intrusion of integument in apex foveola; endosperm corneous and hardness, embryo sublateral. Fl. and fr. Sep–Oct.

270–1000 m. W Yunnan (Yingjiang) [India, Myanmar].

Rare plant in China, which only found in tropical forest of W Yunnan.

12. DAEMONOROPS Blume in Schultes f. Syst. Veg. 7: 1333. 1830.

  huang teng shu

Erect or climbing, solitary or clustering, pleonanthic (rarely hapaxanthic) rattan palm. Leaves pinnate, rachis apex extend to form a claw-shaped spiny cirrus; leaf-sheath tubular, flagellum absent, with scattered or seriate spines. Inflorescence male and female superficially similar, spindle or tubular before flowering; male inflorescence densely panicle at flowering (section Cymbospatha) or the other with elongate, narrowly and erect inflorescence, rarely diffuse; male rachilla bearing alternate distichous flowers, spathel scale-shaped; male flowers soliltary inside the spathel, stamens 6; female inflorescence panicle, usually dense, rachilla each female flower usually companion with a neuter flower, female flower larger than male, ovate; staminodes 6, the base adnate to form a ring; ovary with scales, uncomplete 3-cells, 3-ovules, anatropous, style short or conic, stigma 3. Fruit globose, ovate or ellipsoid, apex with beak; epicarp thin, covered reflexed scales. Seed usually only 1, globose or slightly flattened, endosperm deeply ruminate, embryo basal.

Ca. 115 species, tropical Asia, NE India and S China, Malay Archipelago to Papua New Guinea. 1 species in SE Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, SW Guangxi.

Ca. 10 species in this genus, the fruit can be exude a reddish-brown resin, which are used for dye and the medicine “Xie Jie” (dragon’s blood), such as Daemonorops draco Bl. in Indonesia, D. didymophylla Becc., D. micracantha Becc. and D. brachystachys Furtado in Malaysia. In additional, some cane used as Calamus spp. for weaving.

1. Daemonorops margaritae (Hance) Beccari in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 2: 220. 1902.

  huang teng _____________  hong teng

Calamus margaritae Hance.

Stem erect at first, climbing afterward rattan palm. Leaves 1–2.5 m in the pinniferous part, terminating in a cirrus with claw-spines; rachis lower parts adaxially with densely erect spine, abaxially with solitary and connate of 2–5 spines along the middle, apical cirrus with semi-whorled claw; petiole abaxially with sparsely spines, adaxially with densely and connated short erect spines; knee conspicuous, with many slender, flattened, whole-arranged ca. 2.5 cm spines, bearing many small spines between the larger ones; leaflets numerous, equal-distant arranged, adaxially and abaxially green, linear-ensiform, apex acuminate, with bristle, 30–45 ΄ 1.3–1.8 cm, with 3(–5) costa-nerves, mid-costa adaxially and abaxially with bristle, margin with densely finely cilia. Inflorescence dioecious, erect, subtending by spathe before fl., spindle, with short beak, ca. 25–30 cm, the outer spathes boat-shaped, with erect spine; spathe fall off after fl.; male inflorescence rachilla densely together, male flower oblong-ovate, 5 mm; female inflorescence rachilla 2–4 cm, conspicuous zigzag, 4–7 flowers on each side; fruit perianth flattened. Fruit globose, 1.7–2 cm in diam., apex with short and robust beak, scale in 18–20 verticle rows, along with broad grooved, dark straw-yellow. Seed subglobose, compressed, endosperm deeply ruminate, embryo sub-basal. Fl. May, fr. Jun–Oct.

SE Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, SW Guangxi. Cultivated in Yunnan (Xishuangbanna).

Middle to high quality cane for weaving.

13. CALAMUS Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 325. 1753. Rotang Adanson Fam. Pl. 2: 24, 599. 1763.

  sheng teng shu

Palmijuncut Kuntze; Schizospatha Furtado; Zalaccella Beccari.

Climbing or erect, solitary or clustering rattan. Sheaths usually cylindric, armed; petiole armed or unarmed, the base enlarge to form a knee; rachis armed, apex extend to cirrus with claw-spine or erriate. Leaves pinnate, leaflets single-fold or several in groups at rachis sides, linear, lanceolate, ensiform, ovate or elliptic, gradually narrow at the base, terminating acuminate or acute, usually armed with bristles; ocrea persistent or deciduous. Male and female inflorescence homogenous or heterogeneous, often are terminating in a long flagellum or a caudate appendage; inflorescence main axis and partial inflorescence axis bearing various spathe; male inflorescence branch to 3 or 2 orders, bearing spikelets subtending spathel with male flowers, involucre cupular; calyx tubular or cupular, 3-lobes, corolla 3-lobes, stamens 6; female inflorescence branched to 2 or 1 order, female flower solitary or in paired inside each spathel, each female companion with 1 neuter flower, calyx and corolla 3-lobes, persistent, perianth explanate or pedicellate, staminodes 6; ovary covered with scales, 3-cells, 3-ovules, stigma 3. Fruit globose, ovoid or ellipsoid, apex with short beak or without, covered with scales. Seed usually one only or very exceptionally 2–3, oblong, subglobose, or rarely angular or compressed, smooth or pitted or grooved on the surface; chalazal fovea usually concaved or foveeolated; endosperm homogenous or ruminate, embryo basal or rarely lateral.

Ca. 370 species: tropical and subtropical Asia, a few in Australia and Africa; ca. 39 species and 20 varieties in SE, S and W China. mainly in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan.

Cane from most species flexible, for weaving, is important handicraft material.

1a... Leaf ecirrate; stem erect to climbing.

2a... Stem erect, rarely semi-climbing (C. macrorrhynchus only); inflorescence rachis terminating not in a flagellum or caudate appendage, rarely with caudate appendage (C. erectus only); endosperm homogenous, rarely ruminate (C. erectus only).

3a... Female inflorescence robust, branching 2 or 1 order (3 orders or partly in male); fruit with a short beak, scale margin glabrous or with fimbriate ciliate, channeled or absent; leaflet abaxially glabrous.

4a... Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–6, point the different directions; fruit small, fruiting perianth pedicellate (meaning calyx divide to the half of its length), scale margin with fimbriate ciliate, channel absent or inconspicuous ...............................................................................  1a. C. thysanolepis

5a... Near stemless; primary spathe of male inflorescence lacerated into slice fibrous, as 1 times long as length of partial inflorescence; the middle of scales unchannelled.

5b.. Stem erect, up to several matters; the upper portion of primary spathe on male inflorescence lacerated into pieces, as long as partial inflorescence or more. Fruit scales arranged in 21 vertical rows, inconspicuous shallowly channelled along the middle; seed compressed globose or ovate-semiglobose ..........................................................................................................  2. C. hoplites

4b.. Leaflets regularly arranged in 2 farious; fruit larger, perianth explanate or compressed (calyx divided to its base), scale margin glabrous, channelled along the middle.

7a... Primary spathe of male and female inflorescence tubular, dried membranous at the apex, pieced divided; fruit scales arranged in 18–22 verticle rows.

8a... Fruit larger, oblong or ellipsoid; seed obovoid or broadly oblong.

9a... Fruit oblong, 3 ΄ 1.7–2 cm, rounded at both ends; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows; seed obovoid ..............................................................................  3. C. dianbaiensis

9b.. Fruit ellipsoid, obtuse or slightly pointed on both ends, 3 ΄ 1.5 cm; scales arranged in 20–21 verticle rows; seed broadly oblong or subobovoid, slightly compressed  4. C. yangchunensis

8b... Fruit smaller, ovoid, 1.6–1.8 ΄ 1.3 cm; scales arranged in 21–22 vertical rows; seed subglobose, compressed ...........................................................................  5. C. guangxiensis

7b.. Primary spathe of male and female inflorescence tubular, lacerated fibrous; fruit scales arranged in 12 vertical rows. ......................................................................................  6. C. erectus

3b... Female inflorescence slender, branching to 1 order or 2 orders at the base (male inflorescence not seen); fruit with a long beak; scale margins densely covered with rusty-color or brown tomentum, not channelled along the middle; leaflet abaxially covered with incanous and bristles.

11a. Leaflet slightly regularly arranged, distance between the leaflets in large at the middle portion of the rachis, anguste, (16–)20–36 ΄ 1.4–1.5 cm, abaxially with gray scale-hair and bristles; fruit ovoid, 2.5–2.7 ΄ 1.5 cm, the apex acuminate to form a long and thick beak; scales arranged in 22–24 vertical rows, margin glaucous with chestnut brown tomentum; seed ovate-semiglobose  8. C. macrorrhynchus

11b. Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–4 on each side of the rachis, abaxially with gray or brown pliancy lanose, armed with scattered slightly spiny bristles; fruit long ovoid or ovate-ellipsoid, with a sharp beak, scales arranged in 21–24 verticle rows.

2b.. Stem climbing; inflorescence rachis terminating in a flagellum or caudate appendage; endosperm homogenous or ruminate.

13a. Endosperm homogenous.

14a. Leaflets regularly (equidistant) or slightly regularly arranged; fruiting perianth pedicellate or explanate.

15a. Leaflets regularly arranged, nerves 3, conspicuous, adaxially with bristles, margin armed with spinule or bristles; fruiting perianth pedicellate, fruit ovoid or subglobose, scales arranged in 15–18–21 vertical rows, unchannelled along the middle.

16a. Leaflets linear-lanceolate, 35 ΄ 7–2 cm, abaxially armed with a few bristles only found on the midnerve; leaf-rachis abaxially with solitary clawed spines with black point; fruit (immature) ca. 6 mm; scales arranged in 15–18 vertical rows, with a reddish-brown erose broadly margin           11. C. faberii.

16b. Leaflets ensiform or narrowly linear, usually abaxially glabrous; fruit scales arranged in 18–21 vertical rows.

17a. Leaflets ensiform, 38(–50) ΄ 2.5 cm, leaf-rachis abaxially armed with erect or slightly curved spines with black point; fruit 12 mm; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows, with a dark narrowly margin .......................................................................................  9. C. walkerii

17b. Leaflets narrowly linear, 33–43 ΄ 1.3–2 cm; fruit subglobose, 1.5 cm in diam., scales arranged in 21 vertical rows .................................................................  10. C. formosanus

15b. Leaflets slightly regularly arranged or the lower ones inequidistant arranged (C. henryanus); 3 or 5 nevers, both surface and margin armed with spinule; fruiting perianth explanate; fruit subovoid or obovoid; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows, shallowly channelled along the middle or inconspicuous.

19a. Leaflets long elliptic-lanceolate, 20–25 ΄ 1–1.2 cm, nerves 3, conspicuous; leaf-rachis abaxially armed with a few flattened sub-white erect spines to 2–4 cm; fruit subovoid, 1.1 ΄ 1 cm; scales yellow, margin reddish-brown
............................................................................................  12. C. multispicatus

19b. Leaflets linear-ensiform, 32–47 ΄ 4–2 cm, nerves 5, midnerve prominent; leaf-rachis abaxially with solitary black short clawed spines; fruit obovoid, ca. 1.2 ΄ 1 cm; scales yellow-brown, with broadly, brown intramarginal line, scarious at the margin, erose ...............  13. C. henryanus

14b... Leaflets arranged in groups or inequidistant; fruiting periant explanate or subpedicellate.

20a. Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–4; fruit globose, sometimes subturbinate (C. viminalis var. fasciculatus); scales arranged in 16–18–21 vertical lows, channelled along the middle.

21a. Leaflets narrowly lanceolate, pointed in the different directions, 15–40 ΄ 1.5–2.8 cm; leaf-rachis with solitary or 2–3 confulented 1–4 cm erect spines; petiole armed with erect spines on both sides; fruit 8–9 mm in diam., scales arranged in 16–18 vertical row  14. C. viminalis var. fasciculatus

21b. Leaflets linear-lanceolate, smaller; leaf rachis abaxially armed with short, recurved clawed spines; petiole armed with needled- or hook-spines at the margins; fruit scales in 21 or 18 vertical rows ...........................................................................................  15. C. balansaeanus

20b. Leaflets irregularly (inequidistant) arranged; fruit globose, subglobose or broadly ellipsoid; scales arranged in 16–22 vertical rows, inconspicuous channelled along the middle or not.

23a. Leaflets a few, solitary on each side of the rachis, several confulented at the apex, lanceolate or oblanceolate, shorter, nerves 3–6, nerves, margins and apex armed with spinule or bristles; fruit small, globose or subglobose, scales arranged in 16–20 vertical rows.

24a. Leaflets 4–10 on each side of the rachis, usually 4 confulented at the apex, narrowly lanceolate, 15–22 ΄ 1–2 cm, nerves 3; fruit subglobose, 10–13 mm in diam.; scale arranged in 18–20 vertical rows ...........................................................................  16. C. tetradactyloides

24b. Leaflets 3–4 on each side of the rachis, usually 2 confulented at the apex, lanceolate or oblanceolate, 15–20 ΄ 2.5–4 cm, nerves 3–6; fruit globose, 8–9 mm in diam.; scale arranged in 16–17 vertical rows ..............................................................  17. C. pulchellus

23b. Leaflets much more, a few densely aggregated, distance between leaflets of the middle portion of rachis largest, pointed in different directions, linear, longer (45 cm), nerves 3, nearly equi-thick, unarmed on both surface, margin armed with sub-white thick bristles; fruit larger, broadly ellipsoid, 2.4 ΄ 1.7–1.8 cm; scale arranged in 22 vertical rows ..........  18. C. melanochrous

13b. Endosperm ruminate.

25a. Leaflets slightly regularly arranged, or rarely lower one arranged in groups of 2–3 (C. flagellum var. furvifurfuraceus only); fruiting perianth explanate, rarely pedicellate (C. feanus var. mκdogensis only).

26a. Fruit smaller; scales arranged in 15–18 vertical rows, inconspicuous channelled along the middle or not.

27a. Leaflets linear, 45–50 ΄ 1–2 cm, nerves 3, conspicuous, armed with bristly spines, leaf-rachis with subseries erect spines or solitary claws; petiole armed with regularly series or long or short, black long spines, and black-brown furfuraceous; fruit ellipsoid or subglobose; scales arranged in 15 vertical rows. ......................................................................  19. C. rhabdocladus

27b. Leaflets elliptic-lanceolate, 26–30 ΄ 3–5(–6.5) cm, nerves 7, unarmed; leaf-rachis unarmed; fruit ovoid, 15–18 ΄ 12 cm; scales arranged in 17–18 vertical rows  20. C. feanus var. mκdogensis

26b............... Fruit larger, scales arranged in 12 vertical rows, channelled along the middle.

29a. Leaf rachis abaxially armed with 1 series, solitary clawed spines; leaf-sheaths densely armed with solitary or sometimes confluent, or large or small, lamelliform, acuminate, subtransverse seriate spines ................................................................................................  21a. C. flagellum

29b. Leaf-rachis abaxially armed with the base recurved, 2–3 confluent black spines the upper portion; leaf-sheath densely armed with solitary or confluent, lamellate, very acuminate, conspicuous oblique seriate spines; fruit broadly ovate or subglobose, equally rounded at both ends, 2.5–2.6 ΄ 2–2.2 cm
.................................................................................................  22. C. karinensis

25b. Leaflets arranged in groups or inequidistant; fruiting periant pedicellate; scales channelled along the middle.

31a. Leaflets arranged in groups.

32a. Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–3, lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptic to oblanceolate, mid-nerves unarmed or armed with a few spinule and others unarmed, margin armed with spinule, bristles at the apex.

33a. Leaflets 10–20 ΄ 1.7–3 cm, nerves 3, both surfaces unarmed; female inflorescence shorter, partial inflorescence a few, spikelets a few and sparsely; fruiting perianth arranged in 21–23 vertical rows ........................................................................................  23. C. tetradactylus

33b. Leaflets 15–30 ΄ 2–3 cm, nerves 3–5(–7), sometimes midnerves with a few spinules; female inflorescence longer; partial inflorescence much more; spikelets more and densely; fruit scale in 20–21 vertical rows ................................................................  24. C. bonianus

32b. Leaflets arranged in groups of (2–)3–5, occasional solitary on the base, oblanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 15–35 ΄ 2–2.5 cm; nerves 3–5(–7), adaxially and margin armed with spinules, bristle-cilia at the apex; fruit ovate-ellipsoid, orange-red when fresh, straw-yellow when dry, 2.5–3 ΄ 1.4–1 cm, scales arranged in 19–21 vertical rows ....................................  25. C. gracilis

31b............................................................................. Leaflets inequidistant arranged      26a. C. yunnanensis

1b. Leaf-rachis terminating in a clawed-spined cirrus; stem climbing.

36a. Inflorescence rachis terminating in a weakly flagellum or a caudate appendage.

37a. Endosperm homogeneous; fruiting perianth explanate or pedicellate.

38a. Fruiting perianth explanate; leaflets 5 on each side of the rachis, subregularly arranged, lanceolate, 25 ΄ 2–3.5 cm, nerves 3–5, strongly unarmed or armed with spinulate at the midnerves and apex margin; fruit ovoid or subglobose, 10 mm in whole; scales arranged in 20 vertical rows  27. C. compsostachys

38b. Fruiting perianth pedicellate; leaflets 7–8 on each side of the rachis, inequidistant arranged, usually the middle ones 2 in pair, oblong, 11–14 ΄ 5–3.5 cm, nerves 5, slender, armed on both surface, margin armed with spinule; fruit ellipsoid, 13 ΄ 8 mm; scales arranged in 16 vertical rows  28. C. distichus var. shangsiensis

37b. Endosperm shallowly or deeply ruminate; fruiting perianth pedicellate.

39b........................................................................................... Endosperm deeply ruminate      32. C. nambariensis

39a. Endosperm shallowly ruminate or homogenous on the center portion, and shallowly ruminate around.

40a. Leaflets inequidistant arranged, lanceolate, 50–55 ΄ 5–7 cm; leaf-sheath armed on the knee or unarmed, armed with solitary or confluent, 3–5 cm spines on otherwise, the spaces between the large spines with horizontal or slightly ascendant conformed smaller spines; fruit ovate-ellipsoid to ellipsoid or oblong; scales arranged in 18–19–21 vertical rows.

41a. Stem with sheaths 4 cm in diam.; leaf-sheath armed with scattered long spines on the knee; fruit ovate-ellipsoid to ellipsoid, 1.7 ΄ 1.1 cm; scales arranged in 19–21 vertical rows  29. C. wailong

41b. Stem with sheaths up to 5.5 cm in diam; leaf-sheath unarmed on the knee; fruit oblong, 2 ΄ 1.4 cm; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows
............................................................................  30. C. giganteus var. robustus

40b. Leaflets arranged in groups, solitary in apex, elliptic-lanceolate, 30–50 ΄ 3–6 cm; leaf-sheath unarmed on the knee, or armed with a few solitary or subconfluent spines; fruit ovate-ellipsoid or subovoid; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows. .................................................  31. C. palustris

36b............................................. Inflorescence rachis eflagellate or a caudate appendage absents.

47a. Endosperm homogeneous; leaflets regularly arranged, 32 ΄ 2 cm; leaf-sheath subglabrous at the knee, otherwise armed with slender, 1 cm, the base inflated, horizontal and slightly reflexed spines; fruit smaller, ellipsoid, 6 ΄ 4 mm; scales arranged in 15 vertical rows  33. C. siphonospathus var. sublaevis

47b. Endosperm ruminate or rarely homoegeneous (C. quiquesetinervius); leaflets arranged regularly or irregularly to in groups; leaf-sheath armed rarely unarmed (C. obovoideus) at the knee, otherwise armed with various spines; fruit larger; scales arranged in (14–)15–18–21 vertical rows

48a. Leaflets arranged regularly or irregularly.

49a. Leaflets regularly arranged (irregularly at the juvenile plants), lanceolate (rarely oblanceolate at the juvenile ones), 30–43 ΄ 3–5 cm; fruit ellipsoid, 1.6–2.3 ΄ 1.2–1.5 cm; scales arranged in 14–17 vertical rows ....................................................................  34. C. quiquesetinervius

49b. Leaflets irregularly arranged (in groups of 2–3 at the basal leaves), angusti-lanceolate or lanceolate, 36–40 ΄ 2–5 cm; fruit globose or subglobose,2.8–3 ΄ 2–2.3 cm; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows ................................................................................................  35. C. simplicifolius

48b............................................................................................ Leaflets arranged in groups.

50a. Leaflets usually arranged in groups of 2, solitary at the base or apex.

51a. Leaflets a few, each pair ones opening 45°, usually the lower ones solitary, elliptic-lanceolate, 14–15 ΄ 3.5–4 cm; fruit ovoid or ellipsoid, straw-yellow, 1.8 ΄ 1.2 cm; scales arranged in 15 vertical rows .................................................................................  36. C. austro-guangxiensis

51b. Leaflets much more, solitary at the base and apex, lanceolate, 30–35 ΄ 4.5–6.5 cm; fruit obovoid, 3.4 ΄ 2.2 cm, yellow-white when fresh, yellowish when dry; scales arranged in 21 vertical rows ...............................................................................................  37. C. obovoideus

50b............................................................................. Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–4.

52a. Leaflets arranged in groups of 2(–3), green, lanceolate, 10–17 ΄ 2–3 cm; fruit ovoid, 1.5–2 ΄ 1.6 cm; scales arranged in (18–)20 vertical rows ...............................  38. C. egregius

52b. Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–4, adaxially green, abaxially glaucous, oblong or oblanceolate, 35–42 ΄ 5–8.5 cm; fruit ovate-ellipsoid, 1.7–2.2 ΄ 1–1.4 cm; scales arranged in 18–20 vertical rows .........................................................................................  39a. C. platyacanthus

1. Calamus thysanolepis Hance in Journ. Bot. 12: 265. 1874.

  Pin Yin

Near stemless, clustering rattan, 2–3 m tall. Leaf 0.8–1.6 m, ecirrate; leaflets yellowish-green, arranged in groups of 2–6 on each side of the rachis, point in different directions, ensiform, acuminate at the apex, 30–37 ΄ 1.5–2 cm, the upper ones towarding smaller, armed with spinule on 3 nerves and the margin; rachis abaxially with short, solitary clawed-spines; petiole sparsely armed with strongly, black pointed erect spines; sheath not tubular but extend to form a petiole, knee absent. Male inflorescence partly branching in 3 orders, ca. 50 cm, ca. with 6 partial inflorescences; primary spathe sliced bract-shaped, longitudinally lacerate into fibrous, 1 time longer than that of partial inflorescence; male flowers 4.5 mm, calyx cupular, 2.5 mm; lobe of corolla as 2 times longer than calyx; female inflorescence eflagellate, branching in 2 orders, ca. with 6 partial inflorescences; primary spathe similar to male ones. Fruiting perianth pedicellate; fruit broadly ovate-ellipsoid, 15 mm, short beaked; scales arranged in 18–21 vertical rows, unchannelled at the middle, reddish-yellow, upwarding reddish-brown, finely fimbriate cilia at the margins. Seed ellipsoid, slightly compressed, subtuberculate and deeply chalazal fovea on the surface; endosperm homogeneous; embryo basal. Fl. Jun–Jul; fr. Sep–Oct.

C and N Fujian, NE Guangdong, Hong Kong, S Jiangxi, S Zhejiang.

1a... Fruit scales arranged in 18–21 verticle rows; seed ellipsoid, slightly compressed; leaflets broader     1a. var. thysanolepis

1b.. Fruit scales arranged in 26–27 verticle rows; seed rounded, compressed; leaflets narrower  1b. var. polylepis

1a. Calamus thysanolepis var. thysanolepis

  mao lin sheng teng

Fruit scales in 18–21 vertical rows. Seed ellipsoid. Fl. Jun–Jul; fr. Sep–Oct.

C and N Fujian, NE Guangdong, Hong Kong, S Jiangxi, S Zhejiang.

1b. Calamus thysanolepis var. polylepis C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 24. 1986.

  Pin Yin

Fruit scales in 26–27 vertical rows; seed rounded, the base truncate, adaxially compressed; leaflets narrower. Fr. Apr.

Guangdong (Longmen).

2. Calamuch hopelites Dunn in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 38: 369. 1908.

  gao mao lin sheng teng

This species is similar to Calamus thysanolepis, but different from Calamus thysanolepis by: its stem erect, 2–5 m or more, leaflets larger (50 ΄ 2–2.5 cm), sparsely armed with spinule on the mid-nerve and margin; leaf-sheath covered with long or short flattened black pines; male infructescence longer (65–85 cm), primary spathe longer or as long as the partial inflorescences, the upper part longitudinally lacerate into piece-shaped; fruit ellipsoid or ovate, 12 ΄ 9 mm, scales in 21 vertical rows, yellow, convex at the center, inconspicuous channelled along the middle; seed compressed-globose or ovate-semi-globose, 9 ΄ 8 mm. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Nov.

Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan (Jiangyong), Jiangxi.

3. Calamus dianbaiensis C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 24–27. t. I: 1–8. 1986.

  dianbai sheng teng

Erect, clustering rattan, 3–4 m tall. Stem with sheaths ca. 7 cm in diam., with sheaths 4–5 cm in diam. Leaf 2–3 m, ecirrate; leaflets regularly arranged, linear-ensiform, 50–60 ΄ 2.8–4 cm, acuminate or botuse at the apex, the base slightly narrowly, sparsely armed with black-brown bristles on the nerve nearly apex and the margin; mid-nerve thick; petiole 60–90 cm, armed with long spines; sheaths with brown furfuraceous, armed with semi-whorled erect spines, knee absent. Inflorescences male and female homogenous or towarding heterogeneous, 40–100 cm, branching in 2 orders or female ones reduced to one order; primary spathe tubular, unarmed, apex sliced splitting; male flowers fuchsia or dark brick red, regularly 2 farious, calyx campanulate, 3–3.5 mm, 3-lobed at the apex; corolla 3-lobes, lanceolate, ca. 6 mm; female flowers not seen. Fruiting perianth explanate; fruit oblong, ca. 3 ΄ 1.7–2 cm, rounded both ends, apex with 2 mm beak; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows channelled along the middle, yellow-brown when dry, cilia absent. Seed obovoid, 1.2–1.5 ΄ 1.1–1.2 cm, smooth; endosperm homogenous; embryo basal. Fr. Spring.

SW Guangdong (Dianbei).

4. Calamus yangchunensis C. F. Wei  in Guihaia 6: 26–28. t. I: 9–13. 1986 [“yuangchunensis”].

  yangchun sheng teng

This species is similar to Calamus dianbaiensis on stem, leaf, and inflorescence, differ in its leaf shorter (ca. 1.5 m), fruit ellipsoid, scales arranged in 20–21 vertical rows, seed broadly oblong or subobovoid. Fr. Jun.

SW Guangdong (Yangchun).

5. Calamus guangxiensis C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 28–30. t. II. 1986.

  guangxi sheng teng

Erect, shrubby rattan, stem with sheaths ca. 6 cm in diam. Leaf 1.8 m, ecirrate; leaflets regularly arranged, linear-ensiform, the middle ones 55–57 ΄ 3.7–4 cm, acuminate or subobtuse at the apex, sparsely armed with bristles on the nerve nearly apex and the margin; mid-nerve thick; rachis abaxially armed with solitary or furcate erect spines; sheaths with dull-color furfuraceous, armed with many connate at the base or subwhorled, 1–4 cm flattened spines, knee absent. Inflorescence male and female heterogeneous; male inflorescence branching in 3 orders, female ones in 2 orders or only bearing 1 spikelet at the apex; male and female flowers not seen. Infructescence ca. 1 m, the apex extending but not clawed-spine; primary spathe tubular, armed with erect spines, apex slitting. Fruit ovoid, ca. 1.6–1.8 ΄ 1.3 cm, beaked; fruiting perianth explanate, scales arranged in 21–22 vertical rows, yellow-brown, the margin black-brown, channelled along the middle. Seed subglobose, appressed, 7 mm in wide, smooth; endosperm homogeneous; embryo basal. Fr. Jun.

SW Guangxi (Xiashi, Longzhou).

6. Calamus erectus Roxburgh in Fl. Ind. (ed. 2) 3: 774. 1832

  zhi li sheng teng

C. macrocarpus Griffith in Martius Hist. Nat. Plam. 3: 333. t. 176. f. 10 et t. Z18, f. 24. 1850. Calamus collinus Griffith; C. erectus Roxburgh var. macrocarpus Beccari; C. erectus Roxburgh. var. collina Beccari.

Insert Information

Where?

Erect, clustering rattan, up to 5 m tall above, stem without sheath 5–6 cm in diam. Leaf ecirrate, to 2.5–3.5 m; rachis armed abaxially with half-whorls or solitary spines; leaflets equidistant arranged, ensiform, the largest ones to 60–75 ΄ 3.5–6 cm, subulately acuminate to acute, midnerve stout, armed with spiny bristles on both surfaces, sparsely armed with spinules on the margin, slightly densely bristles on the apex; petiole subcylindrical, armed with whorls or semiwhorl long spines; leaf-sheath opened on the ventral side (not completley tubular), densely and irregularly armed with subserial long spines; ocrea very large, in full-grown leaves longitudinally split on the ventral side into two very large long auricles, densely armed with transversely serial, black, shorter bristles. Male and female inflorescence heterogeneous; male inflorescence ca. 3 m, partly branching in 3 orders, with 4–5 partial inflorescence, eflagellate or very shortly flagellum at the apex; partial inflorescence of lower part is the largest, to 30–50 cm; primary spathe tubular, longitudinally lacerate into fibrous, with sparingly spines; male flowers 9 mm; female inflorescence to 1.3 m, branching to 2 orders, terminating in a spikelet or feebly, shorter caudate appendage, with 7–8 partial inflorescence; the lower spikelets ca. 15 cm; female flower broadly conical, 6 mm. Fruit ellipsoid or ovate-ellipsoid, 2.7–3.5 ΄ 1.8 cm, rounded and hardly pedicellate at the base, shortly beaked-mammillate at the apex; scales arranged in 12 vertical rows, broadly channelled along the middle. Seed elongate-ovoid, 2–2.4 ΄ 1.2–1.5 cm, rounded on both ends, finely pitted at the surface; endosperm ruminate; embryo basal. Fl. and fr. Dec.

Tropical forests, 270–500 m, W Yunnan (Yingjiang) [India, Myanmar].

1a... Female inflorescence with a slender terminal caudate appendage or without; fruit large, ellipsoid or ovate-ellipsoid, 2.7–3.5 ΄ 1.8 cm ............................................................................  6a. var. erectus

1b.. Female inflorescence with a longer caudate appendage at the apex; fruit smaller, ellipsoid, 2.2 ΄ 1.5 cm       6b. var. birmanicus

6a. Calamus erectus var. erectus

________________  Pin Yin

 

Tropical forests, 270–500 m, W Yunnan (Yingjiang) [India, Myanmar].

6b. Calamus erectus var. birmanicus Beccari in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 2: 197. 1902.

  dian mian sheng teng

This variety differs from the type in the female inflorescence slender, inflorescence terminating in an elongate, adulated caudate appendage (flagellum); fruit smaller, ellipsoid, to 2.2 ΄ 1.5 cm. Fl. and fr. Dec.

W and SW Yunnan [Myanmar].

7. Calamus oxycarpus Beccari in Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc. 11 (Suppl.): 138. S. t. 81. 1913; C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 30. 1986.

  jian guo sheng teng

Information

Erect, clustering shrubby rattan, up to 2 m tall. Leaf ecirrate, 2 m; leaflets arranged in groups of 2–3(–4) in groups, adaxially dark green, lanceolate or oblanceolate, 25–30(–40) ΄ 3.5–4 cm, apex acuminate to acute, adaxially glabrous, abaxially armed with gray or brown lanose and scattered spinulous, margin with spinulous, nerves 3–5; rachis abaxially sparsely armed with erect spines; petiole and sheath not seen. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescence, a elongate flagellum, 1 m above, the base branching to 2 orders, upper ones only one-branching, bearing a few sparsely unbranched spikelets, apex with filiform unarmed caudate appendage; primary spathe slender tubular at first, then longitudinal splitting, armed; female flowers larger, long ovate, 7 mm; calyx campanulate, divided to its middle into triangular acuminate 3-lobes; corolla 1.5 times longer than the calyx, lobe lanceolate, acuminate, with finely pilosus. Fruiting perianth convex, slightly pedicellate; fruit long-ovoid, 2.5–3 ΄ 1.1–1.3 cm, suddenly contracted in its 1/4 upper part to form a long conic beak; scales arranged in 23–24 vertical rows, not channelled along the middle, yellow or reddish-yellow, apex bright-black, very densely rusty-tomentose at the margin. Seeds oblong, 18–22 ΄ 9–1 ΄ 7 mm, adaxially slightly compressed, narrowly both ends, chalazal fovea shallowly, elongate, endosperm homogenous; embryo basal. Fr. Aug.

##

1a... Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–3(–4) on each side of the rachis; leaflets broader, 25–30(–40) ΄ 3.5–4 cm; fruit long-ovoid, 2.5–3 ΄ 1.1–1.3 cm, suddenly contract at 1/4 of the apex to form a long conic beak; scales arranged in 23–24 vertical rows, margin densely covered with rusty tomentum  7a. var. oxycarpus

1b.. Leaflets arranged in groups of 2(–3–4) on each side of the rachis; leaflets anguste, 30 ΄ 1.5–2 cm; fruit ovoid or ovate-oblong, 2.5 ΄ 1.1–1.4 cm; scales arranged in 21–23 vertical rows  7a. var. angustifolius

7a. Calamus oxycarpus var. oxycarpus

  __________  Pin Yin

Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–3(–4) on each side of the rachis; leaflets broader, 25–30(–40) ΄ 3.5–4 cm; fruit long-ovoid, 2.5–3 ΄ 1.1–1.3 cm, suddenly contract at 1/4 of the apex to form a long conic beak; scales arranged in 23–24 vertical rows, margin densely covered with rusty tomentum

 

7b. Calamus oxycarpus var. angustifolius S. Y. Chen ex K. L. Wang in thesis of MS of the University of Philippine at Los Banos: “Taxonomy and distribution of the genus Calamus (Palmae: Calamoideae) in Yunnan Province, southwest China” 45–50, pl. 2. 1997.

________  Pin Yin

This variety differs from the type by its leaflets arranged in groups of 2(–3–4), leaflets narrower (30 ΄ 1.5–2 cm); fruit ellipsoid or ovate-ellipsoid, 25 ΄ 11–14 mm, with sharp beaked, scales in 21–23 vertical rows.

* SE Yunnan.

8. Calamus macrorrhynchus Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 590. 1937.

  da hui sheng teng  ____________  hui jian huang teng

Erect to semi-climbing rattan, 2–4 m or more. Leaf ecirrate, 90–100 cm; leaflets 10–15 on each side of rachis, the ones of the middle portion of the rachis arranged in large distance; leaflets adaxially green, linear-lanceolate, (16–)20–36 ΄ 1.4–1.5 cm, apex acuminate, the base narrowly, abaxially covered with gray scale-hair and bristly spines, scattered spinulous at the midnerve and margins, nerves 3, conspicuous; rachis and petiole covered with brownish furfuraceous; sheath sparsely armed with flattened spines, knee absent. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescence 45 cm or more, branching only one order, bearing several spikelets; primary spathe longitudinal lacerate into fibrous at the upper part, covered with brownish furfuraceous. Fruiting perianth not pedicellate, slightly convex; fruit ovoid, 2.5–2.7 ΄ 1.5 cm, with a thick and long beak, scales arranged in 22–24 vertical rows, chestnut brown to brown, glaucous at the margins, with chestnut brown tomentose. Seed ovate-semiglobose, 16–17 ΄ 1.3–1.4 ΄ 9–10 mm, endosperm homgenous; embryo basal. Fr. Dec.

Guangdong, Guangxi. A lower quality cane for weaving, the fruit can be used for medicine.

9. Calamus walkerii Hance in Journ., Bot. 12: 266. 1874; C. faberri auct. non Beccari: Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 593. 1937. C. tonkinensis auct. non Becc.

  duo guo sheng teng

Climbing rattan. Leaf ecirrate, 1–1.3 m; leaflets equidistant arranged, yellow-green, ensiform, 38(–50) ΄ 2.5 cm, upwarding acuminate to form a subuliform point with bristled, 3 conspicuous nevers adaxially armed with long bristle, abaxially usually glabrous, margin armed with sparsely connate spinulous; rachis abaxially armed with 2 cm erect spines with black pointed; petiole and sheath not seen. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescence terminating with a flagellum, branching to 2 orders; primary spathe tubular, the base with irregularly spines and claws; partial inflorescence a few (2–4), steeple-shaped, ca. 20 cm, bearing spikelets 18–20 or more on each side, the largest ones 6–7 cm, flowers opening 45°. Fruit small, ovoid, 12 mm, with a acuminulate beak; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows, yellowish, not channelled along the middle, darkly and narrowly at the margin. Seeds compressed, abaxially with roughness and wavy channelled, chalazal fovea inconspicuous, endosperm homogenous; embryo basal. Fr. Spring.

Guangdong (Xinhui), Hong Kong, N Hainan.

10. Calamus formosanus Beccari in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 2: 211. 1902.

  tai wan sheng teng  ______  shui teng

Climbing, clustering rattan, up to 20–50 m tall; stem with sheath 3.5–4 cm in diam., without sheath 2–2.5 cm in diam.; sheath rusty-brown, armed with the whorls of blackish flattened spines, large spines up to 2.5 cm, knee inconspicuous. Leaf ecirrate, 1.2–1.8 m; leaflets regularly arranged, narrowly linear, 33–43 ΄ 1.3–2 cm, nerves 3, adaxially armed with a few spines, abaxially glabrous, midrib prominent; petiole armed with scattered recurved spines. Inflorescence up to 1.8 m or more, apex extends to form a slender 2 m flagellum with a tubular spathe. Fruit subglobose, yellowish, with dark brown pointed, ca. 15 mm in diam. and shortly beaked, scales in 21 vertical rows. Seed ellipsoid, ca. 10 mm in diam., endosperm homogeneous.

Broad-leaved forests, low to medium altitudes, Taiwan.

11. Calamus faberii Beccari in Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc. 11(1): 274. t. 99. 1908; Fl. Hainan 4: 175. 1977, p. p.; C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 31. 1986.

 

Climbing rattan, up to 30 m. Leaf ecirrate; leaflets equidistant arranged, linear-lanceolate, 35 ΄ 1.7–2 cm, acuminate at the apex, nerves 3, conspicuous; adaxially armed with bristles, abaxially armed with a few bristles at the midnerve, margins especially the lower ones with adnated spinule; rachis with solitary clawed-spin with black pointed; petiole with erect spines abaxially and each side; sheaths adaxially with solitary or several connate, long or short, triangular flattened, erect spines, knee conspicuous. Male inflorescence not seen; female; inflorescence branching to 2 orders, long flagellum-shaped, with several sparsely partial inflorescences; primary spathe tubular, sparsely armed with short spines; partial inflorescence steeple-shaped, 12–18 cm or more, bearing 10–15 spikelets on each side; the lower spikelets 5–6 cm; female flower small, 2-farious, 3 mm. Fruiting short pedicellate, fruit small (immature), ovoid, ca. 6 mm; scales arranged in 15–18 vertical rows, the base straw-yellow; margin reddish-brown, broadly, erose, unchannelled along the middle. Fr. Spring.

C and S Hainan [Vietnam].

Weaving materials.

1a... Spikelets of the partial inflorescences longer, the lowest ones 5–6 cm ..............  11a. var. faberi

1b.. Spikelets of the partial inflorescences shorter, the lowest ones only ca. 3.5 cm
..........................................................................................................  11b. var. brevispicatus

11a. Calamus faberi var. faberi

_______  (Τ­±δΦΦ)  da bai teng (yuan bian zhong)

11b. Calamus faberi var. brevispicatus (C. F. Wei) S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 133. 1989.

  duan sui sheng teng

Calamus tonkinensis Beccari var. brevispicatus C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 31. 1986.

This variety is different from the type in its spikelets shorter, the lowest ones only 3.5 cm, fruits of the rachilla a few. Fr. winter.

Guangdong (Zhjuhai, Shi wan shan dao).

12. Calamus multispicatus Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 592. 1937. Fl. Hainan. 4: 175. 1977.

  lie bao sheng teng

Climbing, slender rattan, stem with sheath 1 cm in diam. Leaf 85 cm; leaflets ca. 15–20 on each side of the rachis, slightly regularly arranged, green, elliptic-lanceolate, 20–25 ΄ 1–1.2 cm, acuminate at the apex, with 3 conspicuous nerves, margins and nerves armed with spinulous; petiole and rachis abaxially armed with a few flattened, slightly white, 2–4 cm erect spines; sheath with dark-brown scurfy-furfuraceous and armed with flattened, slightly white, 1.5–2 cm erect spines; knee conspicuous. Male inflorescence ca. 1 m, flagellum-shaped, branching in 2 orders, rachis slender with clawed-spines; primary spathe tubular at first, lacerated into a fibrous afterward; partial inflorescences 5–7, 20–25 cm, bearing 30 spikelets (1–2 cm); male flowers 11 mm; female inflorescence branching in 2 orders, flagellum-shaped, with several partial inflorescences (10 cm), bearing 3–4 spikelets (1–1.5 cm). Fruiting perianth not pedicellate; fruit ovoid, ca. 11 ΄ 10 mm, with conic beak; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows, shallowly channelled along the middle, yellow, reddish-brown at the margin. Seed irregular subglobose, 7 ΄ 6 mm, with irregularly concave and angulate; endosperm homogenous; embryo basal. Fl. Jan, fr. Jul.

S Hainan (Lingshui). Weaving materials.

13. Calamus henryanus Beccari in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 199. 1902.

  dian nan sheng teng

Climbing rattan, ca. 10 m. Stem with sheaths 16–20 mm in diam., without sheath 8–10 mm. Leaf ecirrate, 1–1.3 m; leaflets slightly regularly arranged (inequidistant on the lower ones), linear-ensiform, 32–47 ΄ 1.4–2 cm, apex acuminate with bristly-spinulous, nerves 5; adaxially, abaxially and margins armed with spinules; petiole margins and abaxially armed with solitary spines; sheath with brown furfuraceous, armed with acuminate, triangular flattened spines 1–2 cm, which margins with fimbriate, brown furfuraceous; knee conspicuous. Male and female inflorescence homogenous or heterogeneous, branching to 2 orders or rarely 3 orders in the base of male, elongate flagellate, terminating in a flagellum; female inflorescence 2.5–3 m; male inflorescence 1–2 m or more, with 4–7 remoately partial inflorescences, 20–35 cm; primary spathe elongate-tubular, armed with shorter clawed spines, lacerated at the apex; male spikelets 2–4 cm, the upper one is longer; female spikelets 4–5 cm or more; male flower ca. 5 mm; areola of the neuter flowers is supported by a slender callose stalk; female flower ca. 4 mm. Fruiting perianth not pedicellate; fruit obovoid, ca. 12 ΄ 10 mm, distinctly beaked; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows, yellow-brown, inconspicuous channelled along the middle with a broadly chestnut-brown intramarginal line, narrowly scarious erosely margin. Seed irregular globose, 6 mm in diam.; endosperm homogenous; embryo basal. Fl. Apr, fr. Nov.

S, W and SE Yunna. A middle quality cane used for weaving.

14a. Calamus viminalis Willdenow var. fasciculatus (Roxburgh) Beccari in J. D. Hooker. Fl. Brit. Ind. 6: 444. 1892.

  mengpeng sheng teng

Calamus fasciculatus Roxburgh, Fl. Ind. 3: 779. 1832.

Climbing, clustering rattan. Stem with sheaths 2–3 cm in diam., without sheath 1.5 cm. Leaf ecirrate, 1–1.5 m; leaflets arranged in groups of 2–4, point in different directions, narrowly lanceolate, 15–40 ΄ 1.5–2.8 cm, ca. 3 nerves, midrib prominent, both surface and margin armed with spinule; rachis armed with 1–4 cm solitary or 2–3 aggregated erect spines; petiole armed with long or short, erect spines on both sides; sheath armed with solitary or confluent into obliquely series flat spines 1–2.5 cm; knee conspicuous. Male inflorescence branching in 3 orders, partial inflorescence ca. 15 cm; male flower bud ovate; female inflorescence branching in 2 orders, 3 m, a elongate flagellum at the apex, with 4 partial inflorescence; partial inflorescence 30–40 cm, bearing 10–15 spikelets on each side; primary spathe elongate-tubular, armed with scattered, shorter clawed spines; female flower not seen. Fruiting perianth explanate; fruit smaller, similar to the pea, globose or slightly compressed, sometimes subturbinate, 8–9 mm in diam., beaked on the apex; scales arranged in 16–18 vertical rows, straw-yellow, shallowly channelled along the middle, grayish on the margin, apex brown. Seed subglobose, compressed, ca. 6 ΄ 4 mm, convex and deeply pitted on the surface, chalazal fovea rounded on the center; endosperm homogenous; embryo basal. Fr. Apr.

Cultivated in Dai villages, S and W Yunnan (Mengla, Yingjiang) [Bangladesh, India, Peninsula of Indo-China].

Weaving materials.

Calamus viminalis var. viminalis occurs in Indonesia (Java), but is absent from China.

15. Calamus balansaeanus Beccari in Webbia 3: 230. 1910.

 

Insert Information

Slender rattan, erect at first, 1.5 m tall, more or less climbing, stem with sheaths 8 m in diam. Leaf ecirrate, up to 85 cm; leaflets 25–28 on each side of the rachis, irregularly arranged approximately in groups of 3–4 or more, linear-lanceolate, 15–22 ΄ 1–1.3 cm, acuminate at the apex with finely bristles, nerves 3, adaxially and margin armed with sinule, abaxially armed with spinule only on the midnerve or even unarmed; rachis abaxially with short, recurved clawed-spines; petiole margins armed with 5–10 mm erect needle-spines or hook-spines; sheath armed with scattered erect spines (less 1 cm), knee conspicuous. Male inflorescence branching in 2 orders, ca. 1 m, a flagellum at the apex, with 4–6 partial inflorescences, the upper one reduce to form a spikelet; primary spathe tubular, compressed, sparsely armed with clawed-spines; each partial inflorescence bearing 2–5 spikelets, the side ones 2–3 cm, and the terminating ones longer; male flowers 4–5 mm; female inflorescence slender, flagellum-shaped, with a slender flagellum at the apex; primary spathe tubular, margins armed; 2–3 partial inflorescences 10–12 cm. Fruiting perianth explanate; fruit globose, ca. 10 mm in diam., short beaked; scales arranged in 21 vertical rows, straw-yellow, margin with a narrowly dark bond, narrowly channelled along the middle. Seed irregularly globose, 7 mm in diam., slightly compressed, large and deeply chalazal fovea on the surface; endosperm homogenous; embryo basal. Fr. Mar.

C and NE Guangxi, S Guizhou, Yunnan [Vietnam].

Weaving material.

1a... Leaflets arranged approximately in groups of 3–4 or more, 15–22 ΄ 1–1.3 cm; fruit 10 mm in diam.; scales arranged in 21 vertical rows, straw-yellow, margin with a narrowly dark band  15a. C. balansaeanus var. balansaeanus

1b.. Leaflets smaller, arranged in groups of 2–4 or equidistant; fruit smaller, 5–6 mm in diam.; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows, with a chestnut brown extramarginal line at the margin  15b. C. balansaeanus var. castaneolepis

15a. Calamus balansaeanut var. balanseanus

______________  (Τ­±δΦΦ)  xiao bai teng (yuan bian zhong)

 

C and NE Guangxi, S Guizhou [Vietnam].

15b. Calamus balansaeanus var. castaneolepis (C. F. Wei) S. J. Pei et S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 134. 1989.

  he lin sheng teng

Calamus henryanus Beccari var. castaneolepis C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 32. 1986.

This variety is different from the type by its fruit scale arranged ca. in 18 vertical rows (21 in Calamus balansaeanus), margin with a upwarding broadly, chestnut bronw extramarginal line; leaf and leaflets smaller, leaflets arranged in groups of 2–4 or subequidistant arranged, with 3–5 nerves which armed with bristles, abaxially armed with spinule on the nerve; this variety is closed to the Calamus henryanus, but the areola of neuter flowers not pedicellate. Fr. Aug.

E Guangxi (Da yao shan), S Yunnan.

16. Calamus tetradactyloides Burret in Notzbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 596. 1937.

  duo ci ji teng  _______  gao shan ji teng

Climbing rattan, 4–10 m; stem with sheaths 8–10 mm in diam., without sheaths 3.5–5 mm. Leaf ecirrate, up to 50 cm; leaflets 4–10 on each side of the rachis, irregularly arranged usually in groups of 4 at the apex, lanceolate, 15–22 ΄ 1–2 cm, short acuminate at the apex, armed with bristle at the apex and margin; nerves 3, conspicuous, armed with sparsely bristles; rachis and petiole with clawed-spines; sheath with knee, densely armed with reddish-brown spinule, very densely at the mouth. Male and female inflorescence branching in 2 orders, slender flagellum-shaped, 40–70 cm, rachis with solitary or confluent clawed-spines; primary spathe tubular, unarmed or sparsely armed; with spinule; partial inflorescences 2–5; male flowers 4 mm; female not seen. Fruiting perianth not pedicellate, fruit subglobose, 10–13 mm in diam., beaked at the apex, scales arranged in 18–20 vertical rows, straw-yellow, inconspicuous shallowly channelled along the middle, erosely. Seed sub-semiglobose, 8 ΄ 7 ΄ 6 mm, concave and convex ridge on the surface, concave chalazal fovea a tthe center; endosperm homgenous; embryo basal. Fl and fr. Dec.

Dense forests. C and S Hainan.

Weaving materials.

17. Calamus pulchellus Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 597. 1937; Fl. Hainan. 4: 174. 1977.

  kuo ye ji teng  __________  mao teng

This species is very similar to Calamus tetradactyloides, the differ by its leaflets 3–4 on each side of the rachis, the upper 2 connated in the base; leaflets lanceolate or oblanceolate, 15–20 ΄ 2.5–4 cm, adaxially green, abaxially subwhite, nerves 3–6, conspicuous; fruit globose, smaller (8–9 mm in diam.), scales arranged in 16–17 vertical rows. Fl. Jan, fr. Aug.

Densely forests, S Hainan (Lingshui).

Weaving materials.

18. Calamus melanochrous Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 11: 208. 1931.

  yao shan sheng teng

Climbing rattan. Leaf ecirrate, up to 1 m or more; leaflets 36 in all, irregularly arranged and some aggregated, pointed in different directions, weakly, greenish or glaucous when dried, abaxially subwhite, linear, 45 ΄ 2.4 cm; nerves 3, sub-equi-thick, midrib prominent, margins sparsely armed with subwhite 0.5 mm bristles, otherwise unarmed; rachis with caducous dark brown furfuraceous, and solitary, scattered, slightly recurved claws to 4 mm; sheath not seen. Form the portion of infructescence known, infructescence unarmed, branching slender, with 6 fruit-spikelets, 11 cm, upwarding shorter. Fruiting perianth explanate; fruit large, broadly ellipsoid, 2.4 ΄ 1.7–1.8 cm, beaked at the apex, rounded at both ends; scales arranged in 22 vertical rows, unchannelled at the middle, black, brightly, slightly color-spotted, especially at the base, gray at the apex, margin with dark brown fimbriate. Seed 15 ΄ 12 ΄ 10 mm, chalazal fovea broadly slightly concave; endosperm homogeneous; embryo basal. Fr. Jan (specimen not seen, from references only).

E Guangxi (Yaoshan).

19. Calamus rhabdocladus Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 10: 884. 1930 et 13: 593. 1937.

  zhang teng  ________  hua nan sheng teng _________  shou zhang teng ________  gong teng ________  mu teng

Insert Information

Climbing, clustering rattan. Stem with sheaths 3–4 cm in diam., without sheath 1.8–2.5 cm. Leaf ecirrate, 1.2–1.8 m; leaflets regularly arranged, equidistant or slightly distance; linear, 45–50 ΄ 1–2 cm, apex acuminate, with 3 nerves, adaxially, abaxially and margins armed with bristly spines; rachis with subseriate erect spines or solitary claws; petiole and sheath armed with regular seriate, long or short, long dark spines and rusty-brown furfuraceous; sheath armed with spines 5–10 cm or more at the mouth, densely armed with regular seriate, or long or short, black-brown spines and reddish-brown furfuraceous, the spaces between these large spines are covered with shorter black bristly spines. Male and female inflorescence heterogeneous; male inflorescence elongate flagellate, branching in 3 orders, up to 8 m, with 3–4 partial inflorescence, a caudal appendage at the apex; the lower primary spathe elongate-tubular, armed with serial or whorls pines; male flower oblong, ca. 5 mm; female inflorescence branching in 2 orders, 7–8 m, cirrate, with 7 partial inflorescences, a caudal appendage at the apex. Fruiting perianth explanate; fruit ellipsoid, 10–12 ΄ 7–8 mm, scales arranged in 15 vertical rows, straw-yellow, inconspicuous shallowly channelled along the middle. Seed broadly ellipsoid, slightly compressed, 8 ΄ 6 ΄ 5 mm, tuberculated on the surface; endosperm shallowly ruminate; embryo basal. Fl and fr. Apr–Jun.

Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan.

A middle quality and hard cane, used for walking stick and framework of the furniture.

1a... Fruit ellipsoid, 10–12 ΄ 7–8 cm; scale straw-yellow  19a. C. rhabdocladus var. rhabdocladus

1b.. Fruit subglobose, 7–10 mm diam.; scale dark-brown ..  19b. C. rhabdocladus var. globulosus

19a. Calamus rhabdocladus var. rhabdocladus

_______  Pin Yin

male inflor.? Fruit ellipsoid, 10–12 ΄ 7–8 cm; scales straw-yellow.

Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan.

19b. Calamus rhabdocladus var. globulosus S. J. Pei et S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 137. 1989.

  gong xian teng

Spiklets of male inflorescence short, flowers few. Fruit subglobose 7–10 mm in diam., scales dark brown,  Fl. and fr. as C. rhabdocladus.

Tropical forests. Hainan? S Yunnan (Mengla).

20a. Calamus feanus Beccari var. medongensis S. J. Pei et. S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 137. f. 1: 10–12. 1989.

  mutuo sheng teng

Climbing rattan, 40–50 m. Leaf (only seen the middle to upper portion) ecirrate; leaflets slightly regularly arranged, elliptic-lanceolate, 20–30 ΄ 3–5(–6.5) cm, apex acuminate, with 7 equal nerves, unarmed, the upper leaflets slightly small, the upper 2 distinct at the base, rachis adaxially unarmed; petiole and sheath not seen. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescence (the portly infructescence seen only) branching in 2 orders, robust; primary spathe tubular, sparsely armed with short spines; partial inflorescence ca. 15 cm, bearing 5–6 fruit-spikelets to 3–6 cm; female flower not seen. Fruiting perianth pedicellate; fruit ovoid, 15–18 ΄ 12 mm, with a sonic short beak, scales arranged in 17–18 vertical rows, unchannelled at the middle, dark reddish-brown, margin and apex with reddish-brown fimbriated ciliate. Seed ellipsoid (immature), tuberculate on the surface; endosperm slightly ruminate; embryo basal. Fr. Dec.

Montane broad-leaved forests, 1800 m, SE Xizang (Motuo).

Weaving materials.

This variety is different from Calamus feanus in its fruit scales in 17–18 vertical rows (Calamus feanus in 13–15); leaflet nerves, margin and apex unarmed. It is closed with C. acanthospathus Griffith but the latter stem erect, fruit larger, scales arranged in 15 vertical rows, channelled along the middle.

Calamus feanus var. feanus occur in Myanmar, but is absent from China.

21. Calamus flagellum Griffith in Martius. Hist. Nat. Palm. 3: 333. t. 176. f. 9. 1894.

  chang bian teng  ________  chang bian sheng teng

Climbing, clustering rattan. Stem with sheaths 4–5 cm in diam., without sheaths 2–3 cm. Leaf ecirrate, ca. 2.5 m; leaflets equidistant or subequidistant, broadly ensiform, 65–80 ΄ 3.5–5.5 cm, with a strongly midnerve, both surface and margins armed with spiny bristles; rachis abaxially armed with 1 series solitary clawed spines; petiole robust; sheath densely armed with solitary or sometimes confluent, large or small, acuminate, subtransverse seriate spines; leaf-sheath and its spines, petiole, and rachis with furfuraceous. Male and female inflorescence homogeneous or heterogeneous, 4–5 m or even more, branching in 2 orders (sometimes in 3 orders in the base of male ones), with elongate flagellum at the apex; primary spathe elongate-tubular, more or less armed with clawed spines, longitudinally lacerate into fibrous at the apex, with several partial inflorescence, 70–80 cm; male flower 8–10 ΄ 3 mm; female flower 7 mm. Fruiting perianth explanate; fruit ovoid, 3–3.8 ΄ 2–2.2 cm, slightly rounded at the base, abruptly and shortly beaked; scales arranged in 12 vertical rows, channelled along the middle. Seed ovoid, 2–2.2 ΄ 1.3 cm, slightly rounded at the base, obtuse at the apex, and minutely pitted on the surfaces; endosperm deeply ruminate; embryo basal. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Dec–Jan.

600–800 m. S Yunnan (Mengla) [NE India].

A middle quality cane is used for weaving material.

1a... Leaf-sheath, rachis and petioles with slightly furfuraceous; fruit ovoid, 3–3.8 ΄ 2–2.2 cm  21a. var. flagellum

1b.. Leaf-sheath, rachis and petioles densely with black-brown furfuraceous; fruit ellipsoid, 2.5–3 ΄ 1.3–1.5 cm .....................................................................................................  21b. var. furvifurfuraceus

21a. Calamus flagellum var. flagellum

______  Pin Yin

Calamus jenkinsianus Griffith

Leaf-sheath, rachis and petioles with slightly furfuraceous. Fruit ovoid, 3–3.8 ΄ 2–2.2 cm

S Yunnan (Xishuangbanna) [NE India].

21b. Calamus flagellum var. furvifurfuraceus S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 33. 1989.

  hei lin bi teng

Leaflets 2–3 in groups of the lower part of leaf, gradually equidistant arranged at the apex; leaf-sheath and its spines. Rachis and petiole densley black furfuraceous. Fruit ellipsoid, smaller, 2.5–3 ΄ 1.3–1.5 cm. Fl. Mar–Apr, fr. May–Jun.

Tropical forests, 600–800 m. S Yunnan (Mengla).

22. Calamus karinensis (Beccari) S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 133. 1989.

  mengla bian teng

Calamus flagellum Griffith var. karinensis Beccari in Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc. 11(1): 129. t. 6. 1908.

Leaf-sheath densely armed with conspicuous oblique seriate spines; leaf rachis abaxially armed with recurved, the base brownish, the apex black, 2–3 confluent spines, without claw; fruit broadly ovoid or subglobose, equal rounded at both ends, 2.5–2.6 ΄ 2–2.2 cm; scale margin not dark line, but deeply channelled along the middle. Fl. and fr. as C. flagellum.

Tropical forests, 800–1400 m, S Yunna (Jinghong, Mengla) [Myanmar].

The quality as C. flagellum for weaving.

23. Calamus tetradactylus Hance in Journ. Bot. 13: 289. 1875; C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 33. 1986. C. C. Chang 13268 excluso.

  bai teng  ______  ji teng

Climbing, clustering rattan. Stem slender, with sheaths 6–10 mm in diam., without sheaths ca. 5 mm. Leaf ecirrate, 45–50 cm; leaflets a few, aggregated in 2–3 in a group on each side, 4–6 aggregated at the apex, lanceolate-elliptic or oblanceolate, 10–20 ΄ 1.7 cm, apex acuminate and with bristles, margins armed with bristly spinulous, 3 veins, both surface unarmed; petiole very short, unarmed or a few spines; rachis unarmed each side, abaxially armed with scattered claw-spines; sheath unarmed or armed a few, knee slightly conspicuous. Male and female inflorescence heterogeneous; male inflorescence 50 m, branching to 3 orders (partly), with several partial inflorescences, the lower ones ca. 8 cm; spikelets 10–12 mm, bearing sparsely 4–6 flowers at each side; primary spathe tubular, with sparingly claw-spines; male flower small, 3 mm; female inflorescence branching to 2 orders, apex extend to form a clawed flagellum; primary spathe very conferted, unarmed or armed with sparsely spines; partial inflorescence 3–4, 7–15 cm, the largest one bearing 5–7 spikelets at each side; the lower ones 2.5–5 cm, 5–6 flowers at each side; female flowers small, 3–4 mm. Fruiting perianth conspicuous pedicellate; fruit globose, 8–10 mm in diam., beaked; scales arranged in 21–23 vertical rows, yellowish, channelled along the middle, the margin with inconspicuous erose. Seed irregularly globose, 5–6 mm in diam., tubercular and minutely pitted on the surface, chalazal fovea on the center; endosperm subhomogenous or shallowly ruminate; embryo basal. Fl. and fr. May–Jun.

Fujian, Hainan, Hong Kong, S and S islands of Guangdong, SE and S Guangxi [Laos, Vietnam].

A middle to higher quality cane for weaving.

24. Calamus bonianus Beccari in Webbia 3: 231. 1910. Calamus tetradactylus Hance var. bonianus (Beccari) Conrad in Lecomte, Fl. Gen. Indo-Chine 6: 1047. 1937.

  duo sui bai teng

Very closed allied to C. tetradactylus in stem diam., male inflorescence, primary spathe, fruit and seed, but distinct from C. tetradactylus by its longer leaf (50–70 cm), leaflets numerous, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, longer and wider (15–30 ΄ 2–3 cm), with 3–5 veins, sometimes 7 nerves; female longer (60–100 cm), partial inflorescences much more (5–8), with longer spikelets (5–7 cm), and more flowers (10–14); by its fruit scales a few in (in 20–21 vertical rows). Fl. and fr. Jun.

Guangdong (Dianbai), Hainan. Cultivated in S Yunnan (Xishuangbanna) [Vietnam].

A middle quality cane for weaving materials.

25. Calamus gracilis Roxburgh Hort. Beng. 73. 1814. nom. Nud., Fl. Ind. 3: 781. 1832; C. hainanensis Chang & Xu ex Miau in Sunyatsenia 1981(3): 116. 1981.

  xiao sheng teng  _________  xi jing sheng teng  __________  hainan sheng teng  _________  xian xi sheng teng

Climbing, clustering or only with several stems rattan. Stem with sheaths 1.5–2 cm in diam., without sheath 0.5–1.2 cm. Leaf ecirrate, 30–45 cm; leaflets green, (2–)3–5 in group in the leaf, rarely solitary on the base; leaflet oblanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 15–35 ΄ (1.5–)2–2.25 cm, acuminate on the apex with bristly ciliate, 3–5(–7) finely veins, all armed with slightly spines, unarmed or sparse armed with slightly spines on the midnerve at the abaxially, adpressed spinules on the margin; rachis with black-brown furfuraceous, armed with solitary or 2–3 confluent claws on both sides and abaxially; petiole very short; sheath densely covered with deciduous rusty-brown furfuraceous; knee inconcpicuous. Male inflorescence branching to 2 orders or rarely 3 orders on the basal ones, 1.1 m, with a very elongate flagellum at the apex, with ca. 7 partial inflorescences; primary spathe tubular, armed with sparse claws; male flower ovate; female inflorescence branching to 2 orders, 50–80 cm, a slender flagellum at the apex, with 5–7 partial inflorescences; primary and secondary spathes as ones of male; female flower ca. 3.5 mm. Fruiting perianth conspicuous pedicellate; fruit ovoid-ellipsoid, beaked, 2.5–3 ΄ 1.4–1.7 cm; scales arranged in 19–21 vertical rows, orange-red when fresh, straw-yellow when dry, deeply channelled along the middle. Seed ellipsoid, slightly compressed, 1.2–1.8 ΄ 1.1–1.4 cm, minutely pitteed on the surfaces, chalazal fovea smaller; endosperm deeply ruminate; embryo lateral. Fr. May–Jun.

Tropical forests, lower altitude, C and W Hainan, SE and W Yunnan [India, Bangladesh].

Excellent cane for weaving.

26. Calamus yunnanensis S. J. Pei & s. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 134. f. 1: 1–7. 1989. C. acanthospathus auct. non Griffith: C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 33. 1986, p. p.

  yunnan sheng teng

Insert Information

Climbing, solitary rattan. Stem with sheaths (1.5–)2–2.5 cm in diam., without sheath 1–1.3 cm. Leaf ecirrate, 90 cm; leaflets 6–8 or 11 on each side, inequidistant arranged, elliptic-lanceolate, or oblanceolate, 26–35(–40) ΄ 4.5–6 cm, with 6–8 conspicuous veins, adaxially unarmed or sparsely armed with spinules, abaxially unarmed, sparsely armed on the margin, ciliated point at the apex, petiole armed spines or claw-spined; sheath armed with long or short, large or small, subsemi-conic spines and gray-brown furfuraceous spot, spines at the mouth are much densely; knee slightly conspicuous. Male and female inflorescence homogeneous, 1.5–1.8 m, branching to 2 orders or partly 3 orders, terminating in a flagellum, with 7–8 partial inflorescence; partial inflorescence terminating in a shorter flagellum; primary spathe elongate-tubular to cylindrical, slightly armed with solitary claws or prickles; the lower partial inflorescence 10–15 cm; male flower ovate, 4 ΄ 2.5 mm; female flower ovate, 5 mm. Fruiting perianth pedicellate; fruit ellipsoid to subglobose, 1.8 ΄ 1.5–1.7 cm; scales arranged in 15–18 vertical rows, shallowly channeled along the middle, orange-red when fresh, red-brown when dry, yellowish-brown erosely band on the margin. Seed oblong, compressed, 12–14 ΄ 9–11 ΄ 7 mm, smaller tuberculated on the surface; endosperm ruminates; embryo basal. Fl. and fr. Dec–Feb.

Broad-leaved montane forests, 1500–1800 m, S and NW Yunnan (Jinghong, Gongshan).

A middle to higher quality cane for weaving.

1a... Leaflets smaller, 15 ΄ 5–4 cm; leaf-sheath armed with conspicuous semi-conic spines and tuberculate on the base. Inflorescence shorter and smaller (half of ones of C. yunnanensis)  26c. var. intermedius

1b.. Leaflets 6–8(–11) on each side of the rachis, elliptic-lanceolate or oblanceolate, 30–35 ΄ 4.5–5 cm, nerves 6–8, conspicuous, adaxially and margins sparsely armed with spinule or unarmed, abaxially unarmed, ciliate at the apex; leaf-sheath armed with short or long, large or small, subsemi-conic spines; inflorescence 1.5–1.8 m; fruit ellipsoid to subglobose.

2a... Primary spathe of male inflorescence armed with a few solitary claws or needle-spines; male flowers of rachilla sparsely, smaller, ovate (4 ΄ 2.5 mm) ................................  26a. var. yunnanensis

2b... Primary spathe of male inflorescence robust, armed with slightly densely and robustly clawed spines; male flowers of rachilla conferted, robust and broadly ovate (3.5 ΄ 3 mm)  26b. var. densiflorus

26a. Calamus yunnanensis var. yunnanensis

____________  (Τ­±δΦΦ)  yunnan sheng teng (yuan bian zhong)

Primary spathe of male inflorescence armed with a few solitary claws or needle-spines; male flowers of rachilla sparsely, smaller, ovate (4 ΄ 2.5 mm)

Broad-leaved montane forests; 1500–1800 m. S and NW Yunnan (Jinghong, Gongshan).

26b. Calamus yunnanensis var. densiflorus S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 135. 1989.

  mi hua sheng teng

The variety differs from the type by male infloresences robust, partial inflorescence longer (20–25 cm), primary spathe densely armed with stout clawed spines, male flowers of the spikelets much more, more dense, shorter and robust, broadly ovate (3.5 ΄ 3 mm). Fl. Apr.

Evergreen broad-leaved forests; 1800 m. S Yunnan (Mengla).

26c. Calamus yunnanensis var. intermedius S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 137. f. 1: 8–9. 1989.

  ping bian sheng teng

The variety differs from the type by leaflets and inflorescence smaller (leaflet 15 ΄ 3.5–4 cm), inflorescences and partial inflorescences as half long that of the type, leaf-sheath with conspicuous semiconic spines which tuberculated on the base. Fr. Mar–Apr.

SE Yunnan (Pingbian).

27. Calamus compsostachys Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 598. 1937.

  duan zhou sheng teng

Climbing, slender rattan, stem with sheaths 8 mm in diam., without sheaths 5 mm. Pinniferous part of leaf 32 cm, a clawed cirrus at the apex; leaflets 5 on each side of the rachis almost regularly arranged, lanceolate, both surface brightly green or glaucous when dry, 25 ΄ 3.2–3.5 cm, acuminate at the apex, the upper portion with spinulous at the margin, nerves 3–5, strongly, unarmed or armed with spinulous only at midnerve adaxially; rachis and petiole abaxially armed with solitary or 2 confluent clawed spines; petiole ca. 10 cm, margin armed with small spines. Male inflorescences not seen; female inflorescence elongate-flagellum-shaped, slender, rachis with solitary claws, branching in 1 order, bearing several spikelets; primary spathe elongate-tubular, sparsely armed with clawed-spines. Fruiting perianth not pedicellate; fruit ovoid or subglobose, beaked, 10 mm; scales arranged in 20 vertical rows, straw-yellow, reddish-brown at the margin. Seed ellipsoid, endosperm homogeneous; embryo basal. Fr. Nov.

S Guangdong (Yangchun). Weaving materials.

28a. Calamus Ridley distichus var. shangsiensis S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 140. 1989. C. melanoloma auct. non Martius: C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 36. 1986.

  shangsi sheng teng

Climbing, slender rattan, stem with sheaths 1.3–1.5 cm in diam. Leaf 45–50 cm, cirrate with clawed; leaflets a few, 7–8 on each side of the rachis, usually the base and apex ones solitary, oblong, 11–14 ΄ 2.5–3.5 cm, towarding narrowly at end, suddenly acuminate at the apex, nerve 5, slender, both surface unarmed, margin armed with spinulous; rachis abaxially armed with a few solitary small clawed spines; petiole 6–8 cm, margin armed with some strongly spines; sheath sparsely armed with long or short flattened spines, knee conspicuous. Male inflorescence branching in 2 orders, 25 cm, a caudate appendage at the apex, bearing 4 partial inflorescences; partial inflorescence 10 cm, bearing 4–5 spikelets; male flower and female inflorescence not seen. Fruiting perianth; fruit ellipsoid, 13 ΄ 8 mm; scales arranged in 16 vertical rows, yellow, reddish-brown at the margin. Seed ellipsoid, endosperm homogeneous; embryo lateral. Fl. May, fr. Sep.

S Guangxi (Shi wan da shan, Shangsi).

Weaving material.

This variety is similar to the C. melanoloma Martius, but in the latter the fruit scales with black line at the margin, embryo basal.

Calamus distichus var. distichus occurs in Malay Peninsula, but is absent from China.

29. Calamus wailong S. J. Pei & S. Y. chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 138–140. f. 2. 1989.

  da teng

Climbing, robust rattan. Stem with sheaths 4 cm in diam., without sheath ca. 2 cm. Pinniferous part of leaf 1.5–2.5 m, 1.5–2.5 m cirrate at the apex; leaflets inequidistant arranged, lanceolate, 50–55 ΄ 5–7 cm, acute at the apex with bristles, 5–7 nerves, unarmed, adpressedly spinulous at the margin; rachis armed with erect spines or clawed spines on both side and adaxially, solitary or 2–3 aggregated to semi-whorls claws abaxially; petiole armed; sheath armed with scattered long spines on the knee, otherwise armed with solitary or confluent, triangular spines 5 cm, the spaces between those large spines with conform smaller spines. Male and female inflorescence heterogeneous, large and robust; male inflorescence up to 3 m, branching to 3 orders, ca. 10 second-order partial inflorescence on each side; second-order branches 80–90 cm, ca. female inflorescence branching to 2 orders, short, 1.5 m, with 9 partial inflorescences which are 40–70 cm, a 2 cm caudate appendage at the apex; primary spathe elongate-tubular to subcylindrical with spines; male flowers ovate, 4 mm; female flower bud ovate, 3 mm. Fruiting perianth slightly pedicellate; fruit ovoid-ellipsoid to ellipsoid, ca. 1.7 ΄ 1.1 cm in whole; scales arranged in 19–21 vertical rows, straw-yellow, shallow channelled along the middle with a reddish-brown intramarginal line, erosely near the apex. Seed ovoid, 10–11 ΄ 7–8 mm, slightly compressed, tuberculated and pitted on the surface; endosperm slightly ruminates; embryo basal. Fl. Apr, fr. Nov–Dec.

Tropical forests, 600–1000 m, S Yunnan (Mengla).

A middle to high quality cane for weaving.

30. Calamus giganteus var. robustus S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 143. 1989..

  cu zhuang sheng teng

Climbing, robust rattan, ten to more hundred meters tall above. Stem with sheaths 5.5 cm in diam., without sheaths 3 cm. Leaf only see portion, large, terminating in a stout, clawed cirrus; leaflets inequidistant arranged or rarely 2 in groups on both side of the rachis, lanceolate, 50–55 ΄ 5–7 cm, acuminate at the apex, 5–7 conspicuous nerves, adaxially and abaxially almost unarmed, sparsely armed with appressed spinules on the margin; the middle portion of rachis adaxially armed with short erect spines, clawed spines on the margin and abaxially; upper portion of rachis abaxially armed with confluent clawed spines; petiole armed with spines at margin and abaxially; sheathes unarmed at the knee, otherwise armed with spines 3–4 cm, the spaces between the large spines with smaller and short spines. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescence stout and large, only seen the upper partial inflorescence, branching to 2 orders, terminating in a caudate appendage which with less prickles; primary spathe not seen; secondary spathe tubular, sparsely armed with clawed spines; spikelets 12–18 cm, bearing 14–16 flowers on each side; female flower not seen. Fruiting perianth pedicellate; fruit oblong, 2 ΄ 1.4 cm in whole, scales arranged in 18 vertical rows, straw-yellow, channelled along the middle, with reddish-brown intramarginal line, and apex erose. Seed ovate-ellipsoid or ellipsoid, slightly compressed, 14 ΄ 9–10 ΄ 8–9 mm, convex and deep pitted on the surface, with chalazal fovea; endosperm shallowly ruminate; embryo basal. Fr. Nov.

Tropical forests, 700–800 m, S Yunnan (Mengla).

A middle to higher quality cane for weaving.

This variety differs from C. giganteus in leaf-sheath unarmed on the knee, fruit smaller, oblong or subcylinder (C. giganteus ovate-ellipsoid, 2.8 cm), scales in 18 vertical rows (C. giganteus in 15 vertical rows).

Calamus giganteus var. giganteus occurs in Malay Peninsula, but is absent from China.

Calamus platyacanthus auct. non Warburg ex Beccari: C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 1986, quoad specimen Z. H. Yang 12406

31. Calamus palustris Griffith in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 61. 1844.

 

Climbing rattan. Stem with sheaths 4 cm in diam., without sheath 2–3 cm. Leaf large, pinniferous part of leaf 2.5 m, 1.2 m cirrus at the apex; leaflets green, usually 2–3 in group arranged, with a solitary leaflet interposed at the apex, elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, 30–50 ΄ 3–6 cm, acute at the apex with bristle, 5–7 nerves, unarmed, margins armed with spinule; the base of the leaf rachis adaxially armed with a few short erect spines at both sides, the middle and upper portion of the rachis armed with a few solitary clawed spines or claws at the margin of the sides and the abaxially, the upper portion to the cirrus with semi-whorled claw; petiole adaxially unarmed or more or less armed with very short erect spines, abaxially unarmed; sheath with conspicuous knee unarmed, otherwise armed with a few solitary or subconfluent or even subseriate 2–4 cm spines. Male and female inflorescence heterogeneous; male inflorescence 2 m above, branching to 3 orders at its base, to 2 orders upwards, 6–7 partial inflorescence on each side, terminating in a caudate appendage, the lower partial inflorescence 40–45 cm; primary spathe tubular, slightly compressed, armed with recurved clawed-spines, lacerated at the apex; male flowers ovate, ca. 4 mm; female flower and fruit not seen. According to literature, female inflorescences branching to 2 orders, short, with several partial inflorescences, terminating in a caudate appendage; female flower ca. 4 mm. Fruiting perianth inconspicuous pedicellate; fruit ovate-ellipsoid to subobovoid, 1.5–1.8 ΄ 1–1.2 cm, scales in 18 vertical rows, straw-yellow, shallowly channelled along the middle with a reddish-brown intramarginal line, finely erosely toothed at the margin. Seed ovoid, slightly compressed, rounded at both ends, 10 ΄ 7 ΄ 6 mm, tuberculated and pitted on the surface, with slightly deep chalazal fovea; endosperm homogeneous at the central portion, others shallowly ruminate; embryo basal. Fl. Apr–May.

Tropical and subtropical forests, 600–900 m, W Guangxi, S Yunnan [India, Myanmar, Thailand].

A middle to high quality cane for weaving.

1a... Leaflets arranged usually in groups of 2, smaller; stem with sheaths smaller (ca. 2.5 cm in diam.); fruit smaller (1.2 ΄ 1 cm) ..................................................................................  31c. var. cochinchinensis

1b.. Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–3, 30–50 ΄ 3–6 cm; stem with sheaths thicker (4–5 cm in diam.); fruit 1.5–1.8 ΄ 1–1.2 cm (Fruit of C. palustris var. longistachys not seen).

2a... Male inflorescence up to 2 m, primary partial inflorescence 40–50 cm; leaf-sheath armed which the spaces between the large spines with small spines ...............................  31a. var. palustris

2b... Male inflorescence very long (1.5 times as long as ones of var. palustris), partial inflorscence longer (60 cm); leaf-sheath armed which the spaces between the large spines with rarely small spines  31b. var. longistachys

31a. Calamus palustris var. palustris

____________  (Τ­±δΦΦ)  ze sheng teng (yuan bian zhong)

Male inflorescence up to 2 m, primary partial inflorescence 40–50 cm; leaf-sheath armed which the spaces between the large spines with small spines

Tropical and subtropical forests; 600–900 m. W Guangxi, S Yunnan [India, Myanmar, Thailand].

Calamus latifolius auct. non Roxburgh: Kurz in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 43(2): 210. t. 21A. 1874.

31b. Calamus palustris var. longistachys S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 138. 1989.

  chang sui sheng teng

The variety differs from the type by its male inflorescence very long (as 1.5 times as long as ones of C. palustris), the partial inflorescence also longer (about 60 cm). Fl. Apr–May.

Tropical forests, S Yunnan (Mengla).

31c. Calamus palustris var. cochinchinensis Beccari in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 2: 211. 1902; C. latifolius auct. non Roxburgh: C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 36. 1986.

  dian yue sheng teng

This variety differs from the type in stem is slender (stem with sheath 2.5 cm in diam.), leaflets smaller, usually 2 in group throughout the leaf; female spikelets shorter and fruit smaller (1.2 ΄ 1 cm). Fr. Nov.

S and SE Yunnan [Cambodia, Vietnam]. Use as C. palustris.

32. Calamus nambariensis Beccari in Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc. 11(1): 433. t. 193, 194. 1908.

_____  Pin Yin

Insert Information

1a... Fruit smaller (ca. 1.6 cm in diam.), ellipsoid; leaf-sheath armed with scattered smaller spines on the knee, otherwise armed with more and densely large spines, which are elongate nearly axil  32d. var. menglongensis

1b.. Fruit large (2 cm in diam. above), globose or ellipsoid; leaf-sheath armed or unarmed on the knee, otherwise with large spines, the spaces between the large spines with shorter smaller spines.

2a... Leaf-sheath unarmed on the knee, otherwise armed with solitary or more or less confluent into subseriated, 2–3 cm spines, and the space between the large spines with 1–5 mm spinule; female inflorescence up to 1 m; leaflets arranged in groups of 2–4, solitary on the base and apex; fruit globose to ellipsoid ....................................................................................  32a. var. yingjiangensis

2b... Leaf-sheath armed with scattered 1 cm spines on the knee, otherwise armed with slightly narrowly, densely spines, and the spaces between the large spines with longer small spines; female inflorescence longer or shorter; leaflets arranged in groups of 2–3 or 2.

3a... Leaflets arranged in groups of 2–3; female inflorescence shorter (35–50 cm), partial inflorescence a few (3–4); fruit globose ................................................................  32b. var. alpinus

3b... Leaflets arranged in groups of 2; female inflorescence longer (1.2 m), partial inflorescence more (5–7); fruit ellipsoid .......................................................  32c. var. xishuangbannaensis

32a. Calamus nambariensis var. yinjiangensis S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 140–141. 1989.

  yingjing sheng teng

Calamus nambariensis Beccari var. furfuraceus S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen, l. c. 142. 1989, syn. nov.

Climbing, clustering rattan. Stem with sheaths 3–4 cm in diam., without sheath 2–3 cm. Leaf with 1 m flagellum at the apex, pinniferous part of leaf ca. 3 m; leaflets 2–4 in group arranged (the leaflets of Calamus nambariensis equidistant arranged), or solitary at the apex, lanceolate or lanceolate-ensiform, the largest leaflet 50–60 ΄ 3.5–)4–5.5 cm, acuminate, bristled, with 3–5 veins, midnerve slightly thick, with appressed spinule at the margin; rachis adaxially armed with smaller spines or claws, solitary or 3 confluent to semi-whorled claws on the abaxially; petiole very short, adaxially and margin armed; sheath glabrous at the knee, others armed with solitary or more or less confluent, subseriated spines 2–3 cm, the space between these large spines are covered with many spinules to 1–5 mm. Male and female inflorescence heterogeneous; male inflorescence 1.3 m, branching to 3 orders, with a very elongate flagellum (5–6 cm) at the apex, 6–7 partial inflorescences on each side, the lower partial inflorescence 45 cm; primary spath tubular, armed with clawed spines; male flowers broadly ovate, 2 m min diam.; female inflorescence branching to 2 orders, ca. 1 m, ca. 4–5 partial inflorescences on each side, a aculeated caudated appendage at the apex; partial inflorescence 35–40 cm, 6–7 spikelets (7–8 cm) on each side; primary and secondary spathes as ones of male. Fruiting perianth conspicuous pedicellate; fruit subglobose or ellipsoid, 2.8–3 ΄ 2.5 cm in whole, scales arranged in 21–24 vertical rows, brown, deeply channeled along the middle, dark at the apex, finely erosely margins, with a very narrowly intramarginal line. Seed subglobose to ellipsoid, slightly compressed, 1.6–1.7 ΄ 1.2–1.5 ΄ 1.1–1.2 cm, distinctly tuberculated and pitted on the surfaces; chalazal fovea ellipsoid; endosperm ruminate; embryo basal. Fl. and fr. Dec–Jan.

Evergreen broad-leaved forests, 1300–1500 m, W Yunnan (Tongbiguan, Yingjiang).

The middle to high quality cane for weaving.

Calamus khasianus auct. non Beccari: C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 39. 1986, quoad specimen G. D. Tao 17906.

32b. Calamus nambariensis var. alpinus S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 141. 1989.

  gao di sheng teng

The variety similar the type which differs are: female inflorescence shorter (35–50 cm), partial inflorescence a few (3–4), female flowers sparser; the pines of the leaf-sheath slightly narrow and densely, the space between those large spines with longer small spine; leaflets 2–3 in group throughout the leaf. Fl. and fr. Apr–May.

Evergreen broad-leaved forests, 1400–1900 m, S Yunnan (Mengla).

Calamus khasianus auct. non Beccari: C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 39. 1986, quoad specimen S. J. Pei 14287.

32c. Calamus nambariensis var. xishuangbannaensis S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 141. 1989.

  banna sheng teng

The variety differs from the type by leaflets usually 2 in-group throughout the leaf; female inflorescence longer (1.2 m), partial inflorescence more much (5–7), and spikelets also more; the spines of the leaf-sheath as one of C. nambariensis var. alpinus. Fr. Feb–Mar.

Evergreen broad-leaved forest; 1500 m. Yunnan??

A middle to high quality cane for weaving.

32d. Calamus nambariensis var. menglongensis S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytoax. Sin. 27: 141–142. 1989.

  menglong sheng teng

This variety differs from the type in leaf-sheath with more and densely spines, whichare ascending or partly horizontal, near axil elongate, the small spines between the large ones very long, but irregular arranged; fruit (ca. 1.6 cm in diam.) and scale smaller than ones of C. nambariensis and other varieties. Fr. winter.

Evergreen broad-leaved forests, 1500 m. S Yunnan (Jinghong).

Calamus nambariensis var. nambariensis occurs in SE India, but is absent from China.

33. Calamus siphonospathus Martius var. sublaevis Beccari in Webbia 1: 352. 1905; C. E. Chang in Quart. Journ. Chin. For. 21(1): 107–110. f. 1. 1988.

  lanyu sheng teng

Climbing, solitary rattan, up to 20–30 m, stem with sheath 4–6 cm in diam., without sheath ca. 2.5–3 cm. The pinniferous port of leaf ca. 1.6 m, apex with 1 m cirrus; leaflets regularly arranged, lanceolate, 32 ΄ 2 cm, margins and 3 nerves armed with small bristle adaxially; rachis adaxially armed with short erect spines, abaxially with connate claw-spines; petiole 30 cm, armed with short spines on each side; sheathe with smooth knee, otherwise armed with slender 1 cm spines. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescence branching to 3 orders, ca. 60 cm; primary spathe tubular, unarmed. Fruit ellipsoid, ca. 6 ΄ 4 mm, scales in 15 vertical rows, straw-yellow, fruiting perianth pedicellate.

Shrub forest, 400 m. Taiwan (Lanyu) [N Philippines].

Calamus siphonospathus var. siphonospathus occurs in Philippines, but is absent from China.

34a. Calamus quiquesetinervius Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 15: 810–811. 1943. Jih-Ching Liao in Illustrations of the Family Palmae in Taiwan, 41–42. 1994.

________________  wu mai gang mao sheng teng  ___________  kuo ye sheng teng  ____________  jia huang teng

Calamus orientalis C. E. Chang.

Climbing, clustering rattan, up to 35–70 m tall or more, stem with sheath 4 cm in diam., without sheath ca. 2.5 cm in diam. Pinniferous part of leaf 2 m, apex cirrus 1.5 m; leaflets regularly arranged (often irregularly in juvenile plants), lanceolate, 30–43 ΄ 3–5 cm, with 3–5 nerves, only adaxially with bristle, margins with serrulate; rachis adaxially and margins with spines, abaxially with claw-spines; petiole adaxially and margin with spines; knee with 12.5 cm flattened spines, spinule sparsely between the large spines. Inflorscence 1–1.2 m; male inflorescence with 8 partial inflorescences; female inflorescence branching to 2 orders; spathe tubular, with claw-spine. Fruiting perianth pedicellate, fruit ellipsoid, ca. 16–23 ΄ 12–15 mm, with a conspicuous beak, scales in 14–17 vertical rows, grooved along the middle. Seed oblong, 11–13 ΄ 7 mm, pitted and deep chalazal fovea at the surface, endosperm homogeneous, embryo basal.

Forests, 300–1000 m, Taiwan.

Calamus margaritae auct. non Hance; Daemmonnnorops margaritae auct. non Beccari.

35. Calamus simplicifolius C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 36. t. III. 1986. Calamus platyacanthus auct. non Warburg ex Beccari: Merrill in Lingnan Sci. Journ. 13: 54. 1934. C. platyacanthoides Merrill in l. c. 54. 1934. Fl. Hainan. 4: 173. 1977. C. thysanolepis auct. non Hance.

  dan ye sheng teng  _______  sheng teng

Climbing rattan; stem with sheath 3–6 cm in diam. Leaf 2–3 m, apex with 1–1.5 cm clawed-spines cirrus; leaflet irregularly solitary or arranged in groups of 2–3 (basal leaf), narrow-lanceolate or lanceolate, 36–40 ΄ 2–5 cm, nerves 3–5; rachis bearing long or short erect spines on the middle and lower surface, the middle part abaxially with several connate or semi-whorled claws; knee conspicuous, armed with flattened narrow-triangular spines 2–4 cm and 5–8(–9) mm wide at the base, and small spines. Male inflorescence panicle, branching to 3 orders; primary and secondary spathes not seen; male flowers ovate-oblong, 7–7.5 mm; female inflorescence 45–60 cm, branching to 2 orders; primary spathe tubular-infundibuliform, 5–9 cm, armed with sparsely sharp spines; female not seen. Fruiting perianth pedicellate; fruit globose or subglobose, 2.8–3 ΄ 2–2.3 cm, apex beaked, scales ca. in 18 vertical rows, yellowish-white, margin brown; seed globose or subglobose, slightly compressed, 1.2–1.4 ΄ 1.1–1.3 cm, with many small foveola and chalazal fovea on the surface, endosperm ruminate, embryo basal. Fr. Oct–Dec.

C, S, W Hainan, Guangxi (Shi wan da shan).

36. Calamus austro-guangxiensis S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 144–145. f. 4. 1989. Calamus tetradactylus auct. non Hance: C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 33. 1986, quoad specimen C. C. Chang 13268.

  gui nan sheng teng

Climbing, slender rattan. Only seen the middle to upper portions of leaf; leaf-rachis abaxially with slightly densely solitary, recurved claws, armed with erect spines and short claws onb oth sides, apex and cirrus abaxially with 2–3 confluented or semi-whorled claws; leaflets a few, usually arranged in pairs of 2, each pair ca. opening 45°, the lower ones occasional solitary, elliptic-lanceolate, 14–15 ΄ 3.5–4 cm, acute at the apex, armed with bristles, with 5 conspicuous nerves. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescence only seen the upper portion, branching in 2 orders; primary spathe long tubular, with scattered claws; female flower not seen. Fruiting perianth conspicuous pedicellate; fruit ovoid or ellipsoid, straw-yellow, 18 ΄ 12 mm, scales in 15 vertical rows, shallowly channelled along the middle, margin with dark lines, erosely. Seed ellipsoid, 15 ΄ 11 mm, slightly compressed, deeply pitted on the surface, endosperm slightly ruminate, embryo basal. Fr. Nov.

S Guangxi (Shanshi, Shi wan da shan).

37. Calamus obovoideus S. J. Pei et S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytoax. Sin. 27: 142–143. f. 3. 1989.

  dao luan guo sheng teng

Climbing rattan. Stem with sheaths 3 cm in diam., without sheath 1.3–1.5 cm. Pinniferous part of leaf ca. 2 m, terminating in a cirrus 1.4 m; leaflets usually 2 in a group thoughout the leaf, or solitary at the base and apex, lanceolate, 30–35 ΄ 4.5–6.5 cm, evenly narrowly toward both ends, the apex contract to form a bristled point, with 5 nerves, adaxially and abaxially unarmed, margins with spinule; rachis adaxially and margin sparsely armed with short spines, abaxially armed with solitary recurved spines to 2–3 confluent or semi-whorls claws; petiole short, abaxially unarmed, adaxially margin sparsely armed with erect, short spines; sheath unarmed at the knee, others armed with spines to 1–2.5 cm, the spaces between the large spines with scattered short spines. Male inflorescence not seen; female inflorescnece branching to 2 orders, ca. 50 cm, with 4–5 partial inflorescences; partial inflorescnece 30 cm, 5 spiklets (7–8 cm) on each side; primary spathe slightly compressed, margin armed with scattered clawed spines, lacerated at the apex. Fruiting perianth pedicellate; fruit obovoid, ca. 3.4 ΄ 2.2 cm, yellow-white when fresh, yellowish or straw-yellow when dry; scales in arranged 21 vertical rows, slightly broadly channelled along the middle, finely brown line on the margin, slightly erosed at the apex. Seed oblong-ovoid, 2.2 ΄ 1.4 cm, pitted on the surface; endosperm ruminate; embryo basal. Fr. Nov–Dec.

Evergreen broad-leaved forests; 1600 m. where??

A middle to good quality cane for weaving.

38. Calamus egregius Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 599. 1937; fl. Hainan. 4: 173. 1977.

  duan ye sheng teng  _______  li teng

Climbing rattan. Stem with sheaths 1–1.3 cm in diam. Leaf cirrate; leaflets green, arranged in groups of 2(–3) on both sides of the rachis, lanceolate, 10–17 ΄ 2–3 cm, margin armed with spinule, acute at the apex with long and densely bristles, nerves 4–5; rachis abaxially armed with solitary recurved spines; petiole margin armed with flattened 3–6 mm erect spines; sheath slightly densely covered with flattened, subwhite 10–15 mm spines; knee conspicuous. Inflorescence not seen. Infructescence 25–32 cm, peduncle 7.5 cm, armed with spinule; primary spathe tubular, lacerate at the apex; partial inflorescences 3, bearing 2–5 small fruit-spikelets which 2–4 cm; fruiting perianth conspicuous pedicellate; fruit ovoid, 1.5–2 ΄ 1.6 cm, beaked at the apex, scales arranged in (18–)20 vertical rows, straw-yellow, margin dark brown, channelled along the middle. Seed ovate; endosperm deeply ruminates, embryo basal. Fr. Jul.

S Hainan (Baoting).

Weaving materials.

39. Calamus platyacanthus Warburg ex Beccari in Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc. 11(1): 442. t. 198. 1908; C. platyacanthoides Merrill in Lingnan Sci. Journ. 13: 54. 1934.

  kuan ci teng  _________  kuan ci sheng teng

Insert Information

Climbing rattan. Stem with sheaths 3–4 cm in diam., without sheath 1.5–2 cm. Pinniferous part of leaf ca. 2.5 m, terminatingin a cirrus 1 m; leaflets green, arranged in groups of 2–4, oblong or oblanceolate, 35–42 ΄ 5–8.5 cm, abaxially slightly glaucous, acute at the apex, armed with bristled-spinules, nerves 5, unarmed, spinules at the margin; rachis armed on both sides, abaxially with solitary or 2–3 confluent claws; petiole armed; leaf-sheath armed with solitary or confluent; subseriate or subwhorls long spines, which are 1.2–1.5 cm in wide at their base, the spaces between these large spines with smaller spines; knee conspicuous. Male and female inflorescence homogenous, branching to 2 orders, 60–100 cm, with 3–5 partial inflorescences; partial inflorescence 25–30 cm, bearing 6–10 spikelets (much more on male); male spikelets 1–4 cm, bearing (5–)9–15 flowers on each side; female spikelets 3–8 cm, terminating in a short prickly appendage, sparsely bearing 4–12 flowers on each side; primary spathe tubular, armed with clawed spines; female flowers subovate-conical. Fruiting perianth conspicuous pedicellate. Fruit not seen. According to the literature, fruit ovate-ellipsoid, 2.2 ΄ 1.3–1.4 cm, scales arranged in 18 vertical rows, deeply channelled along the middle, yellowish-brown, margin erose. Seed ovate-oblong, 10–12 ΄ 7 mm, conspicuous tuberculated and pitted on the surface, chalazal fovea narrow and long, endosperm ruminate, embryo basal. Fl. Apr–May.

700–800 m. S and SE Yunnan [Vietnam].

A middle quality cane for weaving.

1a... Female inflorescence 60–100 cm, partial inflorescence 25–30 cm, bearing 6–10 spikelets on each side; fruit 2.2 ΄ 1.3–1.4 cm; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows
.........................................................................................................  39a. var. platyacanthus

1b.. Female inflorescence as 1 time long as ones of C. platyacanthus, partial inflorescence longer, spikelets much more; fruit smaller, 1.7 ΄ 1 cm; scales much more in 1–2 vertical rows  39b. var. mediostachys

39a. Calamus platyacanthus var. platyacanthus

  kuan ci teng  _________  (Τ­±δΦΦ)  kuan ci sheng teng (yuan bian zhong)

Female inflorescence 60–100 cm, partial inflorescence 25–30 cm, bearing 6–10 spikelets on each side. Fruit 2.2 ΄ 1.3–1.4 cm; scales arranged in 18 vertical rows

S and SE Yunnan [Vietnam].

39b. Calamus platyacanthus var. mediostachys S J. Pei & S. Y. Chen in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 27: 143. 1989.

  zhong sui sheng teng

This variety differs from the type in female inflorescence very long, about one time as long as ones of Calamus platyacanthus, partial inflorescence longer, small fruit-spikelets much more; fruit slightly small, ovoid (17 ΄ 1 mm), scales arranged in 19–20 vertical rows. Female inflorescence similar to ones of Calamus wailong, but its shorter, smaller. Fr. Nov.

Tropical forests; 700–800 m. S Yunnan (Mengla).

Calamus platyacanthus auct. non Warburg ex Beccari: C. F. Wei in Guihaia 6: 36. 1986.

14. ARENGA Labillardiere in de Candolle, Bull. Soc. Philomat. 2: 161–162. 1800.

  guang lang shu  __________  sha tang ye zi shu

Saguerus Steck; Didymosperma H. Wendland & Drude ex J. D. Hooker.

Tree or shrub. Stem usually densely covered with black fibrous leaf-sheath. Leaves usually impairpinnate, rarely flabellate, induplicate; leaflets sublinear to irregularly undulate-elliptic or subrhomboid, the base cuneate, often with 1 or 2 basal auricles, the apex usually irregularly erose. Flowers monoecious or very rarely dioecious, pleonanthic or hapaxanthic; inflorescence interfoliar, sometimes infrafoliar, peduncle subtended by several spathes, multi-branched or unbranched; flowers solitary or triad, male flowers sepals 3, petals 3, connate at the very base; stamens usually 15 above, rarely 6–9; pistollode absent; female usually globose, calyx and corolla usually enlarged after flowering, sepals 3; petals 3, connate in the base ca. 1/2; staminode 3–0; ovary 3-locules, fertile ones 2–3, stigma 2–3. Fruit globose to ellipsoid, usually trigonous, stimatic remains at the apex. Seed 1–3, convex and compressed, endosperm homogeneous.

Ca. 21 species, in tropical areas of S and SE Asia to Australia. 6 species in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hainan, Taiwan, Xizang, and Yunnan.

1a... Dwarf shrub, stem 0.5–2 m tall; leaves shorter, 40–50; cm; leaflets few, subrhomboid, 10–25 ΄ 2.5–8, basally cuneate, auricle absent; inflorescence shorter and smaller, unbranched or branched a few; male flower medium, ca. 6–7 mm; stamens 15–30; fruit ovoid or subglobose, 9–12 mm in diam., reddish-brown  6. A. caudata

1b.. Tree or shrubby; leaf longer (3 m above) leaflets numerous, linear or narrowly oblong, 1–2 auricled at the base; inflorescence larger, multi-branched.

2b.. Shrub, 2–3 m tall. Leaves 2–3 m, 1 auricled at the base or without.

3a... Leaflets 30–55 ΄ 2–3 cm, 1 auricled at the base; male flower larger, ca. 15 mm, stamens 40; fruit subglobose, 1.8 in diam., red ......................................................................  4. A. engleri

3b... Leaflets 20–40 cm, 1 auricled at the base or without; male flower smaller, 8–9 mm, stamens 6–20; fruit oblong or ovate-oblong, 1.5–1.8 cm, fuchsia .........................................  5. A. longicarpa

2a... Tree.

4a... Stem 10 m tall or above; leaves 6–8 m or more, leaflets in 4-farious, pointed the different directions, unequal auricles on each side; stamens ca. 50–80; fruit oblong, yellowish .................  2. A. pinnata

4b... Stem 3–8 m tall; leaves 3–5.5 m or more, leaflets in 2-farious, 1 or 2 auricled at the base; stamens numerous.

5a... Stem ca. 5 m tall; leaves 3.5–5.5 m, 1 or 2 auricled at the base; stamens up to 100 above; fruit globose, 4–5 cm in diam., gray-brown ..........................................................  1. A. westerhoutii

5b.. Stem 3–8 m tall; leaves 3 m, leaflets 30–36 cm or more, 1 auricled at the base; male flower small, 4.5–5.5 mm, stamens 9–22; fruit not seen .................................................  3. A. micrantha

1. Arenga westerhoutii Griffith in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 474. 1845.

  guang lang  _____  suo mu

Tree, stem robust, ca. 5 m tall, 15–20 cm in diam., with sparsely ringed of leaf scars. Leaves 3.5–5.5 m; leaflets in 2-farious, linear, 60–150 ΄ 2.5–4(–8), often with 1 or 2 auricles at the base, irregularly erosely toothed or 2-lobed at the apex; adaxially green, abaxially glaucous; sheath with black, strongly net- or needle-shaped fiber. Inflorescence interfoliar, hapaxanthic, 45–150(–180) cm; penduncle robust, recurved, multi-branched 40–120 cm, spathe several; male flowers large, 1.5–2 cm, stamens 100 above; female flower enlarged after flowering. Fruit subglobose, 4–5 cm in diam., gray-brown. Seed 3, black, ovate-trigonous; endosperm homogeneous, embryo dorsal. Fl. Jun, fruit ripe after fl. 2–3 years.

E, W, and S Hainan, S Guangxi, SE and W Yunnan, and Xizang (Mutuo) [Indochina, SE Asia].

Note: About this species, please see “Higher Plants of China”, Vol. 12 relating to that notes of Arenga. Tropical Forestry (1): 48–49. 1986. p. p. Arenga pinnata auct. non Merrill: Higher Plants of China 5: 353. Fig. 7536. 1976; Fl. Hainan. 4: 167. Fig. 1068. 1977; Fl. Reipulb. Popul. Sin. 13(1): 110–112. Pl. 25: 1–6. p. p.

2. Arenga pinnata (Wurmb) Merrill Interpet. Herb. Amb. 119. 1917.

  sha tang ye zi  _________  tang shu

Arenga saccharifera Labillardiere in Mem. Inst. Paris 4: 290. 1801.

In the older literature, the “sha tang ye zi” as called as “tang shu”, Arenga pinnate (A. saccharifer Labillardiere), is also called A. westerhouttii. According to investigation, two species are different. This species differ from A. westhouttii by its stem more robust, leaflets in 4–5 farious, pointed to different directions, broader; fruit oblong, yellowish.

Cultivated. Guangdong (Guangzhou), Fujian (Xiamen), Hainan, Yunnan.

Arenga westerhoutti Griffith and A. pinnata (Wurmb) Merrill showed very high economic values. The juice from inflorescences are used for making sugar and vine; the core of the stem yields hugh quality of edible starch; the endosperm of the young seed after soiling becomes sweetmeat (notes: must careful for take out the seeds since that the juice of flesh have the strongly thrill and causticity); the terminal bud (cabbage) is eaten as vegetable; leaf-sheath fibers are used for making rope.

3. Arenga micrantha C. F. Wei in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 26: 404–405. t. 1. 1988.

  xiao hua guang lang

Small tree, 3–8 m tall. Leaves up to 3 m; leaflets in 2-farious, the apical ones larger, cuneiform, lateral ones narrowly oblong, 30–36 ΄ 3.5–4 cm, acute at the apex, the base slightly narrowly, asymmetry, the outside broader, downwarding extend to form a auricle, the apex to middle portion with erosely margins, adaxially deeply green, abaxially gray; midnerve robust, covered with brown furfuraceous, veinlet more, slender; rachis covered with brown furfuraceous; petiole, ca. 1 m. Male inflorescence narrowly panicle, 80–100 cm, branched much more, slender, in 2–4 farious on the rachis; flowers small, oblong, 4.5–5.5 mm, stamens 9–23; female flower and fruit not seen. Fl. Aug.

Forests, 1000–1600 m, Xizang (Motuo).

4. Arenga engleria Beccari, Malesia 3: 184. 1889.

  shan zong  _______  ai guang lang

Didymospherma engleri (Beccari) Warburg, Monsunia 1: t. 2. f. 1. 1900.

Clustering shrub, 2–3 m tall. Leaves 2–3 m; leaflets adaxially deeply green, abaxially gray-green, 30–55 ΄ 2–3 cm, the basal one shorter and narrowly, the upper ones shorter and broader, linear, the base narrowly, 1 auricle only, the apex contract with finely toothed, irregularly erosely toothed at the margin of the middle to the apex, petiole and rachis covered with black furfuraceous; sheaths black net-shaped fibers. Inflorescence interfoliar, 30–50 cm, branched multiple; monoecious; male flowers slightly large, ca. 1.5 cm, yellow, fragranced, stamens ca. 40; female subglobose. Fruit subglobove, red when ripe, ca. 1.8 ΄ 1.7 cm. Seed 3, usually 1 underdevelopment, black-brown, blunt-trigonous, 10 ΄ 8 ΄ 6 mm, homogeneous, embryo dorsal. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Nov–Dec.

Fujian, Taiwan [Japan]. Cultivated in Guangdong, Yunnan.

5. Arenga longicarpa C. F. Wei in Acta Bot. Austro Sin. 4(4): 7–9, pl. 1, 1989.

  chang guo guang lang

Clustering shrub, 2–3 m tall, stem with sheaths 7 cm in diam. Leaves 2–2.5 m; leaflets in 2-farious, adaxially deeply green, abaxially gray-green, solitary or in groups of 2, sometimes 3 aggregated at the apex of the rachis, linear-obtriangular, 20–40 ΄ 1.5–5 cm, erose at the apex, acuminate to form a 6–15 cm pointed, the base cuneate, asymmetry, outside ones slightly broadly, auricle absent or blunt auricled; mid-nerve robust; sheath and stem at first covered with brown-yellow, lanose furfuraceous; ocrea slightly net-shaped fiber, black-brown. Monoecious or dioecious, homogeneous, with 2–8 branches; 20–35 cm; male flowers oblong, 8–9 mm, stamens 6–20, female not seen. Fruit ovate-oblong or oblong, slightly curved, 15–18 ΄ 9–10 mm, fuchsia when ripe; seed 1, the shape similar to one of the fruit, 1.2–1.3 cm, embryo lateral.

Guangdong (Dianbai).

6. Arenga caudata (Loureiro) H. E. Moore in Principes 4: 114. 1960.

  shuang zi zong  _________  da fu zong

Didymosperma caudatum (Loureiro) H. Wendland & Drude; D. caudatum (Lour) H. Wendland & Drude var. tonkinensis Beccari; D. tonkinensis (Beccari) Gagnepain; Borassus caudatus Loureiro; Wallichia caudata (Loureiro) Martius.

Dwarf shrub, 0.5–2 m tall. Leaves 40–50 cm; leaflets a few, subrhomboid or unequiquadrilateral, 10–25 ΄ 2.5–8, the base cuneate, auricle absent, with irregularly erosely toothed at the margins of the middle to apex, tail-pointed at the apex or inconspicuous; sheath with net-fiber at the margin. Inflorescence solitary, erects, 17–30 cm or more, unbranched or branched a few; flower unisexual, male oblong-obovate, 6–7 mm, stamens 15–30; female flowers globose; staminode absent. Fruit ovoid or subglobose, 9–12 mm in diam., reddish-brown when ripe; seeds 3, blunt-trigonous, endosperm homogeneous. Fl. and fr. Apr–May.

Hainan [India, Laos, Vietnam].

15. CARYOTA Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1189. 1753.

  yu wei kui shu  _____  jia guang lang shu  _______  kong que ye zi shu

Dwarf to tree, stem solitary or clustering, naked or covered with sheath, with ringed or leaf scars. Leaves large, bipinnate, induplicate (when bud); leaflets rhomboid, cuneiform or lanceolate, very obliquely and with irregularly toothed at the apex, like fishtail; the base or petiole swollen, sheath fibrous. Spathes 3–5, tubular; inflorescences interfoliar, partial inflorescence long and drooping, rarely unbranched; flower unisexual, monoecious, usually triad, female small in the central; male flower sepals 3, distinct, petals 3, stamens 9–, filament short, anther linear; female flower sepals 3, petals 3; staminodes 0–6, ovary 3-locules, stima 2–3 lobed. Fruit subglobose; seed 1–2, endosperm ruminate, embryo lateral.

Ca. 13 species, S and SE Asia, and the tropical area of Australia. 5 species in S and SW China.

1a... Stem clustering, drawf; male flower sepal entire at the apex; fruit fuchsia when ripe.

2a... Stem surface without covered in slightly white felt-tomentum; inflorescence small, usually unbranched, occasionally 1 short branching from the base; male flower sepals without cilia at the apex; fruit large, globose, 2.5–3.5 cm in diam. ............................................................  1. C. monostachya

2b... Stem surface covered in slightly white felt-tomentum; inflorescence large, branched much more and densely; male flower sepals with densely cilia at the apex; fruit smaller, globose, 1.2–1.5 cm in diam.    2. C. mitis

1b.. Stem solitary, tree. Male flower sepals unentire at the apex; fruit red or purple-black when ripe.

3a... Stem green, surface covered in white felt-tomentum; male flower sepals and petals without covered in a deciduous black-brown felt-tomentum, without semi-rounded tooth at the apex; fruit red  3. C. ochlandra

3b... Stem black-brown, surface without covered in white felt-tomentum; male flower sepals and petals covered in a deciduous black-brown felt-tomentum.

4a... Stem not swollen into vase-shaped at the middle to the base, 5–12 m tall, 25–30 cm in diam.; fruit red .......................................................................................................  4. C. urens

4b... Stem swollen into vase-shaped at the middle to the base, up to 25 m tall, 60–80 cm in diam.; fruit purple-black ..............................................................................................  5. C. no

1. Caryota monostachya Beccari in Webbia 3: 196. 1910.

  dan sui yu wei kui

Stem clustering, dwarf, 2–4 m tall, 3.5–4 cm in diam., green, surface without covered in slightly white felt-tomentum. Leaves 2.5–3.5 m; leaflets cuneiform or oblique-cuneiform, 11–18(–2) ΄ 4–8 cm, the base asymmetry, extramarginal straightness, intramarginal arc or irregularly toothed, extend to form a tail-pointed; sheath with brown net-fibers are the margins. Spathe tubular, covered in brown felt-tomentum; inflorescence 40–80 cm, usually unbranched, or occasionally 1 short branching from the base; male flowers bud short conic, ellipsoid when flowering, sepals entire at the apex, cilia absent, stamens 90–130; female flower sepals entire or retuse at the apex, fuchsia; staminodes 2–3. Fruit globose, 2.5–3.5 cm, fuchsia when ripe. Seeds 2, semi-globose, endosperm ruminate. Fl. Mar–May, fr. Jul–Oct.

Montane and valley forests, 130–1600 m, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan [Laos, Vietnam].

2. Caryota mitis Loureiro Fl. Cochinch. 2: 569. 1790; C. sobolifera Wallich Cat. 8594. 1848. nom. nud.; Martius 1. c. 195. 1831.

  duan sui yu wei kui  ________  jiu ye zi

Clustering, small tree, 5–8 m tall, 8–15 cm in diam., stem green, surface covered in slightly white felt-tomentum. Leaves 3–4 m; leaflets cuneiform, extramarginal straightness, intramarginal 1/2 arc or irregularly toothed, extend to form a tail- or short pointed; petiole covered in brown-black felt-tomentum; sheath with brown-black net-fibers at the margins. Spathe and inflorescence covered with furfuraceous, inflorescence 25–40 cm, with densely spicate partial inflorescences; male flower sepals entire at the apex, with densely cilia, female flowers sepals obtuse-rounded at the apex; staminodes 3. Fruit globose, 1.2–1.5 cm, fuchsia when ripe. Seed 1. Fl. apr–Jun, fr. Aug–Nov.

Valley forests or cultivated in garden, Guangxi, Hainan [India, Indonesia (Java), Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam].

The core of the stem is used for making edible starch, the juice from inflorescences for making sugar and vine.

3. Caryota ochlandra Hance in Journ., Bot. 17: 176. 1879.

  yu wei kui  _________  qing zong  _______  jia guang lang

Tree, 10–15(–20) m tall, 15–35 cm in diam., stem green, surface covered in white felt-tomentum. Leaves 3–4 m; leaflets 15–60 ΄ 3–10 cm, the uppest one large, cuneiform, 2–3 lobed at the apex, lateral ones small, rhomboid, extramarginal straightness, intramarginal 1/2–1/4 portion arc into irregularly toothed, extend to form a tail- or short pointed. Spathe and inflorescence without covered with furfuraceous; inflorescence 3–3.5(–5) cm, with many spicate partial inflorescences, 1.5–2.5 m; male flowers calyxes and corollas without felt-tomentum, stamens (31–)50–111; female flower calyxes entire the apex; staminoes 3. Fruit globose, 1.5–2 cm, red when ripe. Seed 1, rarely 2, endosperm ruminate. Fl. May–Jul, fr. Aug–Nov.

Montane or valley forests, 400–700 m, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan.

Beautiful plants for ornamental; the cores of the stem contain starch as a substitution of powdery of Arenga (“Guang lang fen”).

4. Caryota urens Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1181. 1753.

  dong zong  _______  jiu jia guang lang

Tree, 5–25 m tall, 25–30 cm in diam., stem black-brown, without swollen to form a vase-shaped base, surface without covered in white felt-tomentum, with ringed of leaf scars. Leaves 3.5–5 m; leaflets broadly cuneiform or narrowly oblique-cuneiform, 15–29 ΄ 5–20 cm, the basest ones adnated the base of ramified-rachis, regularly toothed at the margins, from lower ones upwarding the apical narrowly cuneiform, extramarginal straightness, intramarginal oblique developing or arc to form irregularly toothed, extend to form a tail-acuminate; the upper one broadly cuneiform 2–3 lobed at the apex; sheath with brown-black net-fibers at the margins. Spath 30–45 cm; inflorescence 1.5–2.5 m, with many densely spicate partial inflorescences; male flower calyx and petals covered in black-brown felt-tomentum, stamens (30–)80–100; female flower similar to male; staminodes 3. Fruit globose to oblate, 1.5–2.4 cm in diam., red when ripe. Seeds 1–2, subglobose or semi-globose, endosperm ruminate. Fl. Jun–Oct, fr. May–Oct.

Limestone areas and valley forests, 370–1500(–2450) m, SW Guangxi, SE and NW Yunnan [India, Peninsula of Indo-China, Myanmar, Sri Lanka].

A strong hard wood is used for amking gullet and water mill; the core of the stem contains starch as a substitution of “xi gu mi” (sago); leaf-sheath fiber is dilgency for making rope; the terminal bud (cabbage) is eaten as vegetable; cultivated in the gardens for beautification of landscape.

5. Caryota no Beccari ex J. Dransfield in Principes 18(3): 87–93. 1974.

  da dong zong

Caryota rumphiana var. borneensis Beccari).

Stem tall and robust (up to 25 m), thicker (up to 60–80 cm in diam.), the middle to the base of stem swollen to form a vase-shaped stem, leaves large (6–7 m or more), stamens more to 100, fruit deeply red to purple-black, seed usually 2.

Tropical forests, 800–1200 m, S Yunnan (Mengla, Jinghong) [Indonesia, Malaysia]. Uses as Caryota urens.

In many older literatures, this species was included in C. urens Linnaeus,

16. WALLICHIA Roxburgh Pl. Corom. 3: 91. 1820,

  wa li zong shu  ________  xiao jin zong shu  ________  hua li jia zi shu

Harina Buchanan-Hamilton; Wrightea Roxburgh.

Shrubby or small tree, clustering or solitary. Leaves pinnate, spirally or 2-farious arranged; leaflets induplicate, linear-lanceolate, irregularly rhomboid or deeply lobed, the upper margins erose or irregularly erosely toothed, cuneiform at the base, auriculate absent, adaxially glabrous, abaxially usually densely covered in glaucescent indumentum and scattered bands of brown scales, with 1 mid-nerve and several fan-nerved. Inflorescence interfoliar, monoecious or polygamo-dioecious, hapaxanthic; male inflorescence branching numerous and densely, female ones branching sparsely; spathe numerous, clothed the peduncle, densely covered in brown scales or tomentum; male flowers in paired, sometimes accompanied by the rudiments of a central female flower or solitary; calyx tubular or cupular, cuneate, usually with 3-lobes or teeth; corolla longer than calyx, deeply 3-lobed; stamens (3–)6(–15), filaments connate basally in a column, adnate partially or completely to the corolla tube, sometimes adnate to the corolla-lobes; pistollode absent; female flowers solitary, spirally arranged; sepals 3, more or less distinct or connate briefly at the base; petals 3, connate from the base to the middle; staminodes 3–0, ovary 2–3 locules, stigma conical, ovule 2–3, inserted at the base, semi-anatropous. Fruit small, ovate-oblong, stigmatic remains apical. Seeds 1–2(–3), ellipsoidal or concave, endosperm homogeneous, embryo dorsal or lateral.

Ca. 9 species, from the E Himalayas to S China and Peninsula of Indo-China. 6 species in Guangxi, Hunan, Xizang, Yunnan.

1a... Tree, 5–8 m tall; leaves in 2-farious; leaflets in groups of 2–5, 30–60 ΄ 4–6 cm; male flower calyx cupular, shallowly 3-lobed, corolla 3 times long than the calyx ........................................  1. W. disticha

1b.. Shrub, 1.5–4 m tall; leaves spirally arranged.

2a... The lower leaflets alternate, in groups opposite or alternate; stamens 9–15.

3a... Male flower ca. 6 mm, calyx cupular, with conspicuous curved incised; stamens 9–12; the lower leaflets narrowly, 8–18 ΄ 1.5–2 cm (the upper ones 17–30 ΄ 3–4 cm) ..............  5. W. mooreana

3b... Male flower linear-oblong, ca. 7.5–8 mm, calyx cupular, entire or with inconspicuous undulate curved 3-incised; stamens 12–15; leaflets cuneiform-oblong, 42–52 ΄ 11–12 cm ..  6. W. siamensis

2b.. Leaflets alternate or subopposite, or in groups of 2–4 at the lower portion of the rachis; stamens 6–9.

4a... Leaflets usually alternate or subopposite, 20–35(–45) ΄ 10 cm, the lower broadly cuneiform, deeply undulate incised, subobtuse apical, with sharp toothed; male flower calyx shallowly cupular, shallowly 3-lobed .....................................................................................................  4. W. chinensis

4b... Leaflets alternate or in groups of 2–4 at the lower portion of the rachis.

5a... Leaflets oblong, (30–)60–75 ΄ 11–12 cm, deeply undulate lobed and conspicuous erosely toothed at the margins; male flower calyx tubular, subentire, corolla as long as calyx ..  2. W. densiflora

5b.. Leaflets cuneiform-oblong, 30–45 ΄ 8–10 cm, pandurated shallowly lobed at the margins, lobes with erosely sharp toothed; male flower calyx tube-cupular, shallowly 3-lobed, corolla 2 times longer than calyx ...............................................................................................  3. W. caryotoides

1. Wallichia disticha T. Anderson in Journ. Linn. Soc. 11: 6. 1871.

  er lie wa li zong  ___________  er lie xiao jin zong

Wallichia yomae Kurz in For. Fl. Brit. Burma 2: 533. 1877.

Tree, solitary palm, 5–8 m tall, 10–15 cm in diam., with ringed of leaf scars. Leaves in 2-farious, 2–4 m; leaflets adaxially green, abaxially subwhite, in groups of 2–5 on each side of the rachis, linear-lanceolate, 30–60 ΄ 4–6, truncate or cuneate apical, with fimbriate toothed, sparsely small toothed at the margin of the middle to apex, nerves conspicuous; petiole with hard net-fibers at the base, amplexicaul. Male inflorescence 0.9–1.2 m, branching 1 order only, with densely 10 cm spikelets; male flower calyx cupular, shallowly 3-lobed, corolla as 3 times long as calyx; female inflorescence 1.8–2.4 m, robust, branching to 1 order, with 200 dropping spikelets; female flowers green, Fruit oblong, ca. 19 mm, reddish, inconspicuous 2–3 lobed apical. Endosperm homogeneous, embryo dorsal, secund. Fl. Apr–Jul.

Tropical forests, lower altitude, W Yunnan (Yingjiang) [India, Myanmar].

Only seen the dry female inflorescence (infructescence) and partially male inflorescences, mostly from the related literatures.

This species is easy differ from other species of the genus in stem tree, solitary, and left in 2-farious.

A beautiful plant for ornamental; the core of them contains starch for edible.

2. Wallichia densiflora Martius Hist. Nat. Palm. 3: 189. 1823, W. oblongifolia Griffith in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 486. 1845; Harina oblongifolia Griffith.

  mi hua wa li zong  _________  mi hua xiao jin zong

Stem short or stemless, 2–4 m tall. Leaves 2–4 m; leaflets numerous, alternate or in groups of 2–4 at the lower portion of the rachis, adaxially green, abaxially subwhite, oblong, (30–)60–75 ΄ 11–12 cm, cuneate at the base, irregularly deeply undulate lobed and conspicuous erose at the margin, with strongly mid-nerve and many paralleled veinlets, mid-nerve brown; sheath covered in scales and villose, the margin split to form strongly fibers. Monoecious, male and female borne on the separate inflorescences; male inflorescence (based on literature) ca. 30 cm, branching numerous and slender; male flower small, solitary or 2 male flowers and accompanied by a central sterile female flower at the lower portion; calyx tubular, subentire; corolla as long as calyx, deeply 3-lobed; stamens 6; staminode absent; female inflorescnece robust, up to ca. 80 cm, branching numerous; female flowers globose, purplish; ovary 2-locules. Fruit oblong, narrowly apical, 18 ΄ 9 mm, dull-purple or deeply red, pointed apical. Seed 2, convex, endosperm homogeneous, embryo dorsal. Fl. Jul–Sep.

Tropical forests, lower altitude, W Yunnan (Yingjiang) [Bangladesh, India, Myanmar].

A beautiful plant for ornamental.

3. Wallichia caryotoides Roxburgh Pl. Corom. 3: 91. t. 295. 1820.

  qin ye wa li zong

Harina caryotoides Buchanan-Hamilton in Mem. Wern. Soc. 5: 317. 1826; Wrightea caryotoides Roxburgh; Harina wallichia Steudel ex Saloman; Wallichia densiflora auct. non Mart.: Brandis ex Dammer.

Close to Wallichia densiflora, the difference in its leaflets shorter and narrowly (30–45 ΄ 8–10 cm), cuneiform-oblong, pandurated shallowly lobed at the margins, with deeply undulate lobes on both sides. Male flower calyx tube-cupular, shallowly 3-lobed, corolla 2 times longer than calyx; fruit ovate-oblong, ca. 1.5 cm; seed 1 rarely 2. Fl. Aug–Oct, fr. Aug.

S and SE Yunnan [Bangladesh, Myanmar].

An ornamental plant.

4. Wallichia chinensis Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 602. 1937.

  wa li zong  __________  xiao jin zong

Clustering shrub, 2–3 m tall. Leaflets adaxially green, abaxially glaucescent, usually alternate or subopposite, 20–35(–45) ΄ 10 cm, the lower ones broadly cuneiform, deeply undulate incised at the middle to apical portion, slightly obtuse apical, with sharp toothed, the upper leaflets undulate 3-lobed, irregularly sharp toothed at the margins; sheath margins net-sheped amplexicaul. Inflorescence interfoliar, monoecious, spathe numerous, clothed the peduncle, covered in rusty-brown furfuraceous; male inflorescence rachilla slender, numerous and densely, 5–8 cm, flowers triad; male flower oblong, ca. 5.5 mm, slightly rounded apical; calyx shallowly cupular, shallowly 3-lobed, stamens 6(–9); female flowers small, subglobose, ca. 2 mm; sepals rounded; petals triangular. Fruit ovate-ellipsoid, slightly curved, 14 ΄ 7–10 mm. Seed 1–2, oblong, ca. 12 mm, endosperm homogeneous, embryo dorsal. Fl. Jun, fr. Aug.

Guangxi, Hunan, Yunnan [Vietnam].

A beautiful plant for ornamental.

5. Wallichia mooreana Basu in Taiwania 28: 146–151. Pl. 1, 2, 3. 1983.

  yunnan wa li zong  _________  mo shi wa li zong

Harina oblongifolia Griffith.

Clustering shrub, up to 1.8 m tall. Leaves ca. 1 m, petiole 30–50 cm; lower leaflets narrowly, in groups opposite or alternate, inequidistant, 8–18 ΄ 1.5–2 cm, oblanceolate, with variously incised and toothed at the margin, cuneate at the base, upper leaflets longer and broader, in pair opposite or subopposite, 17–30 ΄ 3–4 cm, linear-lanceolate, variously toothed incised at the margins, the base narrowly cuneate, acuminate and toothed apical, terminal leaflets solitary, narrowly triangular, shallowly 3-lobed apical, toothed at the margin. Dioecious, male inflorescence 30 cm or more, drooping, peduncle slender, ca. 12 cm, spathe numerous, covered in dark brown furfuraceous, rachilla 25–30, slender, 8–15 cm; male flower yellow, ca. 6 mm, solitary or in pair opposite; calyx cupular, ca. 2 mm, conspicuous curved incised; petals 3, oblong-navicular; stamens 9–12; female inflorescence 30 cm or more, spathes numerous, rachilla ca. 13, 6–20 cm; flower solitary or in pair; female flower calyx saucer-shaped, broadly 3-lobed; corolla deeply 3-lobed. Fruit ca. 13 ΄ 7 mm. Seed 2. Fl. Aug, fr. Mar–Apr.

S and W Yunnan.

A beautiful plant for ornamental.

6. Wallichia siamensis Beccari in Atti Soc. Tosc. Sci. Nat. Pisa, Mem. 44: 175–176. 1934.

  taiguo wa li zong

Shrub, 2–3 m tall. Leaves ca. 1.5 m; lower leaflets alternate, adaxially green, abaxially gray, 42–52 ΄ 11–12 cm, cuneate-oblong, asymmetry, base acute, apex triangular, gradually ending in a very long apex, with conspicuous toothed serrulate, undulate-lobulate on the margin; the terminal leaflets cuneate-flabellate, sub-3-lobed. Monoecious, inflorescence ca. 40 cm, rachilla 20–25 cm, the lower flower triad, male flowers borne on the upper and apex, in pair or solitary; male flower linear-oblong, 7.5–8 ΄ 2–3 mm; calyx cupular, ca. 2 mm, entire or inconspicuous curved 3-incised on the margin; corolla as 5 times long as calyx, petals oblanceolate, navicular, base connate; stamens 12–15; staminode absent. Fruit not seen. Fl. Oct.

Tropical forests, 800–900 m, W Yunnan (Yingjiang) [N Thailand].

A beautiful plant for ornamental.

17. CHRYSALIDOCARPUS H. Wendland in Bot. Zeit. 36: 117. 1878.

  san wei kui shu  ___________  huang ye zi shu

Solitary or clustering shrub, stems with ringed or leaf scares, sometimes producing aerial branches in extra-axially positions. Leaves pinnate; leaflets numerous, linear or lanceolate, reduplicate, the margins often thickened, adaxially glabrous, abaxially usually with flat scales along midrib, and sometimes with minute scales and wax between the veins; petiole usually covered in scales and wax; sheath tubular at first, later usually splitting opposite the petiole, often covered in variously scales and wax. Inflorescence interfoliar or intrafoliar, branching to 3–4 orders, monoecious, pleonanthic; flowers often triad nearly the base of the rachilla, male flowers solitary or in pair aplica; male flower sepals and petals 3, distinct, stamens 6, filaments distinct, anthers dorsifixed, more or less versatile, pistillode conical, trigous, 3-lobed apical; female sepals and petals 3, distinct; ovary globose-ovate, unilocular, uniovulate; stigma 3; staminodes 6, toothlike. Fruit turbinate or oblong, stigmatic remains nearly the base, epicarp smooth, mesocarp with net-fiber. Seed endosperm homogeneous, embryo lateral or sub-basal.

Ca. 20 species, mainly in Madagascar. 1 species cultivated in China.

1. Chrysalidocarpus lutescens H. Wendland in Bot. Zeit. 36: 117. 1878.

  san wei ku  __________  huang ye zi

Clustering shrub, 2–5 m tall, 4–5 cm in diam., the base slightly swollen. Leaves ca. 1.5 m; leaflets yellow-green, adaxially waxy glaucous, 40–60 paired, in 2-farious, lanceolate, 35–50 ΄ 1.2–2 cm, long tail acuminate and unequal short 2-lobed at the apex; the terminal leaflets gradually short, ca. 10 cm; petiole and rachis smooth, yellowish-green; sheath long and slightly swollen, usually yellowish-green, covered in waxy glaucous at first. Inflorescence infrafoliar, ca. 0.8 m, branching to 2–3 orders, partial inflorescence bearing 8–10 rachilla; flowers small, ovoid, golden-yellow, inserted on the rachilla; sepals and petals 3-lobed, stamens 6; female flower sepals and petals similar to male ones, ovary unilocular, with short style and thick stigma. Fruit subturbinate or obovate, ca. 15–28 ΄ 8–10 mm, dust-yellow when fresh, purple-black when dry. Seed subobovate, endosperm homogeneous, a narrowly and longer hollow at the central, embryo lateral. Fl. May, fr. Aug.

Usually cultivated in S China [Madagascar].

A beautiful plant for ornamental.

18. ROYSTONEA O. F. Cook in Sci. Ser. 2. 12: 479. 1900.

  wang zong shu  _________  da wang ye zi shu

Oreodoxa Kunth in Humboldt & Bonpland, Nov. Gen. & Sp. Pl. 1: 244. 1815.

Erect, tree palm, up to 10–40 m tall. Leaves pinnate; leaflets in 2- or multi-farious, narrowly, apex sharp pointed, midrib prominent, abaxially covered in scales; sheath forming a large crownshaft. Monoecious, pleonanthic; inflorescence infrafoliar, branched to 3(–4) orders, with 2 large spathes; flower inserted the rachilla, triad basally, paired or solitary male flowers at the apex; male flower sepals 3, distinct; petals 3, distinct, vary larger than sepal; stamens 6–12, anthers versatile; pistollode short, subglobose or 3-fided; female flower subconical to short-ovate, sepals 3-lobes, distinct; petals 3, connate at the base; staminodes 6, connate in a 6-lobed cupular adnate to the corolla basally; ovary subglobose, unilocular, uniovulate. Fruit obovate to oblong-ellipsoid or subglobose, stigmatic remains nearly basal. Seed ellipsoid, endosperm homogeneous, embryo sub-basal.

Ca. 17 species, C America, S America, W Indies. 2 species were cultivated in S China and Taiwan.

1a... Stem swollen nearly basal, later erect columnar, ver tall. Leaflets in 2-farious .....  1. R. oleracea

1b.. Stem irregularly swollen, the base without or with swollen, swollen nearly the middle, upwarding gradually narrowly, medium tall. Leaflets in 4-farious .............................................................  2. R. regia

1. Roystonea oleracea (Jacquin) O. F. Cook in Bull. Torr. Bot. Cl. 28: 554. 1901.

  cai wang zong

Areca oleracca Jacquin Am. Select. 278. 1763; Oreodoxa oleracea (Jacquin) Martius.

Erect, tree, up to 25–40 m or more, swollen at the base, upwarding columnar. Leaves 3–4 m; leaflets ca. 100 or more, in the one plane nearly basal and apical, usually in 2 planes at the middle portion of the mature plants, linear-lanceolate, long acuminate, irregularly 2-lobed at the apex, 50–100 ΄ 5 cm. Inflorescence 90 cm or more, rachilla wavy curved, semi-producing from the spathe (spathe persistent in fruiting); male flower 6 mm. Fruit oblong-ellipsoid, convex at one side, purplish-black when ripe, 15–20 ΄ 9–10 mm.

Tropical areas, cultivated in S China.

A very beautiful ornamental plant, usually planted along pathways or garden; the younger shoot as vegetable for edible, core of the stem contains starch.

2. Roystonea regia (Kunth) O. F. Cook in Sci. Ser. 2. 12: 479. 1900. Oreodoxa regia Kunth in Humboidt & Bonplant, Nov. Gen. & Sp. Pl. 1: 244. 1815.

  wang zong  _________  da wang ye zi

Erect, tree, up to 10–20 m, swollen at the base when young, later irregularly swollen at the middle portion, upward gradually narrowly. Leaves 4–5 m; leaflets to 250 on each side of the rachis; leaflets in 4-farious, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, shallowly 2-lobed at the apex, 90–100 ΄ 3–5 cm; the terminal leaflets shorter and narrowly, robust veins at each side of the mid-nerve. Inflorescence up to 1.5 m, spathe like a softball-stick before fruiting, male small, monoecious, male flower 6–7 mm. Fruit subglobose to obovate, ca. 1.3 ΄ 1 cm, convex at one side, dark red to purplish. Seed oblique ovate, compressed at one side, endosperm homogeneous, embryo sub-basal. Fl. Mar–Apr, fr. Oct.

Usually cultivated in tropical areas of S China.

A very beautiful ornamental plant, usually planted along pathways or garden; seeds contain oil for feed.

19. ARCHONTOPHOENIX H. Wendland & Drude in Linnaea 39: 182, 211. t. 3. f. 6. 1875.

  jia bing lang shu

Tree, solitary, stem tall and slender, with conspicuous ringed of leaf scars. Leaves pinnate; leaflets adaxially green, gray abaxially due to very small silvery scales, linear-lanceolate, acuminate or 2-toothed at the apex, mid-nerve prominent; sheath tubular, forming a conspicuous crownshaft, usually swollen at the base. Monoecious, pleonanthic; inflorescence infrafoliar, branched to 3 orders, partial inflorescence and rachilla curved, drooping; flowers triad on the lower portion of the rachilla, male flower borne on the upper portion of the rachilla, solitary or in pair; male asymmetry, sepals and petals 3, distinct; stamens 8–24; pistillode 3-fided or columnar; female flower smaller than male, sepals and petals 3, distinct; staminodes 3, toothlike, borne on one side of the gynoecium; gynoecium irregularly ovate, unilocular, uniovulate; stigma 3, recurved. Fruit globose to ellipsoid, reddish to red, stigmatic remains apical. Seed ellipsoid to globose, endosperm ruminate, embryo basal.

Ca. 14 species, E Australia. 1 species usually cultivated in China.

1. Archontophoenix alexandrae (F. Mueller) H. Wendland & Drude in Linnaea 39: 212. 1875.

  jia bing lang  _______  ya li shan da ye zi

Tree, up to 10–25 m tall, stem ca. 15 cm in diam., columnar, slightly swollen basally. Leaves 2–3 m; leaflets in 2-farious, adaxially green, abaxially covered in gray furfuraceous, linear-lanceolate, 45 ΄ 1.2–2.5 cm, acuminate at the apex, entire or incised, mid-nerve prominent; sheath green, swollen to form a conspicuous crownshaft. Inflorescence infrafoliar, drooping, 30–40 cm, rachis slightly angled or curved, with a sheath-shaped spathes; flower monoecious, white; male flower sepals ca. 3 mm, petals ca. 6 mm; stamens 9–10; female flower sepals and petals 3–4 mm. Fruit ovoid, red, 12–14 mm. Seed ovoid, ca. 8 ΄ 7 mm, endosperm ruminate, embryo basal. Fl. Apr, fr. Apr–Jul.

Cultivated. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan [Australia].

An ornamental plant.

20. ARECA Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1189. 1753.

  bing lang shu

Erect, tree or clustering shrub, stem with ringed of leaf scars. Leaves fascicled at the stem apical, pinnate; leaflets numerous, the upper leaflets of the rachis connated. Inflorescence intrafoliar, spathe caducous; flowers unisexual, hermaphroditism; male flowers numerous, solitary or in groups of 2, borne on the upper or all portion of the partial inflorescence, sepals and petals 3, stamens 3, 6, 9 to 30 or more, filament short or absent, anthers basifixed; female flowers larger than male ones, few, sepals and petals 3; staminodes 3–9 or absent; ovary unilocular, stigma 3, sessile, uniovulate, basal, erect. Fruit globose, ovate or spindle-shaped, stigmatic remains apical. Seed ovate or spindle-shaped, endosperm deeply ruminate, embryo basal.

Ca. 60 species, tropical Asia and Australia. 2 species in China, 1 species in Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan, other species cultivated these tropical areas.

1a... Stem solitary, tree; stamens 6; fruit larger, ovoid, orange when ripe ....................  1. A. catechu

1b.. Stem clustering, dwarf; stamens 3. Fruit smaller, ovate-spindle-shaped, deeply red when ripe  2. A. triandra

1. Areca catechu Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1189. 1753.

  bing lang  ________  bing lang zi  _________  da fu zi

Areca hortensis Lourerio Fl. Cochinchin. 568. 1790. A. catechu Willdenow.

Erect, tree 10 m tall, the highest one up to 30 m. Leaves 1.3–2 m; leaflets numerous, glabrous, narrowly lanceolate, 30–60 ΄ 2.5–4 cm, the upper leaflets connate, irregularly toothed apical. Monoecious, inflorescence multi-branched, rachis robust and compressed, branching zigzag, 25–30 cm, slender apical, bearing 1- or 2-farious male flowers, female flowers solitary at the base; male flowers usually solitary, sepal short than 1 mm, petals 4–6 mm, stamens 6, pistollode 3; female larger, 1.2–1.5 cm, staminodes 6, connate; ovary oblong. Fruit oblong or ovoid, 3–5 cm, orange. Seed ovate, endosperm ruminate, embryo basal. Fl. Mar–Apr.

Tropical areas, Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan. Widespread cultivated in tropical Asian areas.

An important medicinal plant, dried immature nuts are also chewed by local people in minority areas of S China.

2. Areca triandra Roxburgh ex Buchanan-Hamilton in Mem. Werner. Nat. Hist. Soc. 5: 310. 1826.

  san yao bing lang

Clustering, 3–4 m tall or above, 2.5–4 cm in diam. Leaves 1 m or more; leaflets to 17 pairs, the upper 1 pair connated, 35–60 ΄ 4.5–6.5 cm, with 2–6 costae, the middle and lower leaflets lanceolate, falcate acuminate, the upper and apical leaflets shorter and slightly obtuse, toothed. Inflorescence and flowers imilar to ones of A. catechu, but male very small, stamens 3 only, fruit smaller than one of A. catechu, ovate spindle-shaped, 3.5 ΄ 1.5 cm, yellow to deeply red when ripe. Seed ellipsoid to obovoid, 1.5–1.8 ΄ 1–1.2 cm, endosperm ruminate, embryo basal. Fr. Aug–Sep.

Cultivated in Guangdong, Taiwan, Yunnan [India, Malay Peninsula, Peninsula of Indo-China].

21. PINANGA Blume in Bull. Sci. Phys. Nat. Neerl. 1: 65. 1838. Pseudopinanga Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. U. Mus. Berlin-Dahlem 13: 188. 1936.

  shan bing lang shu

Stem erect, shrub, with ringed of leaf scars. Leaves pinnate, the upper leaflets connated, or rarely solitary leaf. Inflorescence infrafoliar, spathe solitary, monoecious, flowers aggregate in triad along the rachilla, in 2–6 or 6 vertical rows; male flower oblique trigonous, sepal acute, with keel prominent, petals ovate or lanceolate, stamens 6 or more, another subsessile, innated, erect; female very small than male, ovate or globose, sepals similar to petals, ovary unilocular, uniovulate, stima 3. Fruit ovate, ellipsoid or subspindle-shaped, epicarp fibrous. Endosperm ruminate, embryo basal.

Ca. 120 species in tropical Asia. 8 species in W (Xizang) to S Hainan and Taiwan of China.

Many species of this genus almost are used for ornamental due to their beautiful; stem used for making walk-stick; seeds form many species as a substitution of A. catechu.

1b.. Inflorescence solitary, unbranched.

2a... Flowers in (5–)6-farious, inflorescence 14–18 cm or more ........................  7. P. hexasticha

2b.. Flowers in 3-farious, inflorescence ca. 20 cm .................................................  8. P. gracilis

1a... Inflorescence branched.

3a... Inflorescence branched to 2 orders; inflorescence 40 cm, with 3–5 partial inflorescence bearing ca. 30 spikelets, ca. 18–25 cm; leaves adaxially deeply green, abaxially glaucescent, slightly with tomentum on the nerves ...........................................................................................................  1. P. tashiroi

3b.. Inflorescence branched 1 order only.

3a... Flower (or fruit) in 2-farious.

4a... Inflorescence up to 25–34 cm, branched to 4–5 or more, rachilla compressed, straight and not zigzag ........................................................................................................  2. P. macroclada

5a... Inflorescence ca. 15–18 cm.

6a... Leaves adaxially deeply green, abaxially gray, covered in glaucescent scale-hair and brown spotted scales at the abaxially and nerves, scattered with brownish line-shaped scales on the nerves       3. P. discolor

6b... Leaves green both surface, covered in brownish scales and tinge pilose abaxially, veinlets glaucescent .........................................................................................................  4. P. viridis

5b.. Inflorescence 10–14 cm.

7a... Leaves adaxially green, abaxially gray, densely with vertical veinlets, slightly roughly papillosed on the nerves, the middle leaflets shorter and narrowly ....................  5. P. chinensis

7b.. Leaves adaxially deeply green, abaxially gray or gray-green, covered in white short pilose and densely brown dot-shaped scales on the veinlet .................................  6. P. sinii

1. Pinanga tashiroi Hayata Icon. Pl. Form. 3: 196. 1913; ?Pseudopinanga tashiroi (Hayata) Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 194. 1936; Pinanga baviensis auct. non Beccari.

  lanyu shan bing lang

 ?Pseudopinanga tashiroi (Hayata) Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 194. 1936.

Stem solitary, erect, ca. 2–4 m tall, rarely above, 15–20 cm in diam., the base and apex urn-shaped swollen, with gray wrinkle; leaf-sheaths rusty-brown. Leaves 2 m above; leaflets alternate or opposite, adaxially deeply green, abaxially glaucescent, lanceolate, 60 ΄ 4–5 cm, very acuminate apical, 2 cm width at the base, 2–4 nerved, slightly tomentose on the nerves, the upper leaflets broader, lacerate apical. Inflorescence branched to 2 orders, 40 cm, with 3–5 partial inflorescences, drooping, each one bearing 30 spikelets ca. 18–25 cm; flower ivory. Fruit ovate, apex conic acute, obtuse at the base, 18 ΄ 12 mm, deeply red. Seed endosperm ruminate, embryo basal. Fl. Jul.

* Forests, 300–600 m, Taiwan (Lanyu).

An ornamental plant.

Above description based on the related literature only (specimen not seen).

Pinanga baviensis auct. non Beccari. This species as a synonym of P. baviensis in “Woody Flora of Taiwan” and “Flora of Taiwan”, the differ by its stem tall and large, robust, leaves large, leaflets numerous, and inflorescence larger, branched to 2 orders is different to other species.

2. Pinanga macroclada Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 188. 1936.

  chang zhi shan zhu

Clustering shrub, 2.5–5 m tall, 2–2.2 cm in diam. or more, densely covered in deeply brown or purplish-brown scurf-shaped spotted on the stem, sparsely tinge spot. Leaf-sheath, petiole, and rachis covered in deeply brown furfuraceous. Leaves 1.3 m, adaxially deeply green, abaxially gray, covered in brownish scales, oblong, the terminal 1-paired leaflet 30 ΄ 5 cm, truncate apical with short toothed, slightly 2-lobelets, 6–7 nerved, the lower leaflets slightly narrowly, 45 ΄ 3–4 cm, slightly S-shaped, upwarding curved at the base, upwarding falcate acuminate, 3–4 nerved. Inflorescence branched 4–5 or more, recurved, 25–34 cm, rachilla straight without zigzag, conspicuous flattened. Fruit regularly 2-farious, subspindle-shaped, with vertical striated, 18 ΄ 5 mm. Fr. May–Jul.

Tropical and subtropical forests, 600–1700 m, S to SE Yunnan [Vietnam].

3. Pinanga discolor Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 187. 1936.

  bian she shan bing lang  _________  shan bing lang

Clustering shrub, 3 m tall or above, 1.5–2 cm in diam., densely covered in deeply brown scurfy spotted on the stem, scattered tinge spot. Leaf-sheath, petiole, and rachis covered in brown furfuraceous. Leaves 65–100 cm; leaflets adaxially deeply green, abaxially gray, the terminal 1 or 2 pairs leaflet broader, 30 ΄ 5–7 cm, truncate apical with unequal sharp toothed, 9–10 nerved, the lower leaflets slightly S-shaped zigzag, upwarding acuminate, apex, narrowly at the base, 4–5 nerved, glaucescent scales and brown spotted scales between the larger and smaller nerves and on the nerves, scattered covered in brownish line-shaped scales on the nerves. Inflorescence branched 2–4, recurved, 15–18 cm, rachilla zigzag, flattened; flowers 2–farious. Fruit subspindle-shaped, ca. 20–22 ΄ 7–9 mm, with vertical striated. Fr. ca. Oct.

S Guangdong, S Guangxi, Hainan, S Yunnan.

Pinanga baviensis auct. non Beccari: Merrill in Lingnan Sci. Journ. 5: 42. 1927.

4. Pinangra virvidis Burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 186. 1936.

  lό she shan bing lang

This species is very similar to P. discolor, the differ in its leaves adaxially and abaxially green, covered in brownish scales and tinge finely pilloses abaxially, veinlets glaucescent. Fr. Oct.

Forests, 600–1200 m, C Guangdong, SW Guangxi, SE Yunnan.

5. Pinanga chinensis Beccari in Webbia 1: 326. 1905.

  hua shan zhu

Clustering shrub, ca. 2 m tall, 1.2 cm in diam. or more, covered in deeply brown scurf-shaped spotted on the stem, sparsely tinge spot. Leaf-sheath, petiole, and rachis covered in brown furfuraceous. Leaves ca. 55 cm, ca. 10 paired regularly arranged, adaxially deeply green, abaxially glaucescent, narrowly oblong; the terminal 1 paired leaflet slightly short, 18 ΄ 2.5–3 cm, truncate apical with sharp 2-toothed, the lower leaflets slightly long, ca. 25–30 cm, width as above, the upper several paired leaflets truncate and toothed at the apex, the lower leaflets acuminate apex, slightly falcate, narrowly at the base, conspicuous 2–4 nerved with densely vertical veinlets, slightly roughtly papillosed on the nerves. Inflorescence branched ca. 4, recurved, ca. 12 cm, rachilla zigzag, conspicuous flattened. Fruit regularly 2-farious, immature fruit subcylinder, acuminate apical, growth into subspindle-shaped, together with fruiting perianth ca. 17–18 ΄ 6 mm, upward narrowly apical, obtuse at the apex with vertical striated. Fr. May–Jun.

Tropical and subtropical forests, 800–1200 m, S to SW Yunnan.

6. Pinanga sinii burret in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 10: 882. 1930 et 13: 186. 1936.

  yan wei shan bing lang  ___________  yao shan shan bing lang

Clustering shrub, 3 m tall or above, 1–1.3 cm in diam., covered in purple or purplish-brown scurf-shaped spotted on the stem, sparsely tinged striped. Leaf-sheath, petiole, and rachis covered in brown or red-brown robust furfuraceous spotted. Leaves 50–60 cm, ca. 5 paired opposite leaflets, adaxially deeply green, abaxially gray or gray-green; the terminal 1 paired leaflet almost narrowly oblong, 18 ΄ 6 cm or more in width, truncate apical with sharp toothed, 9–11 nerved; the lower leaflets S-shaped zigzag, upwarding gradually falcate acuminate, downwarding the base slightly narrowly, 30–38 ΄ 3–6 cm, 3–6 nerved, covered in short white pubes and densely brown spotted scales on the nerves and veinlets. Inflorescence branched 2–4 or rarely unbranched, recurved, 11–14 cm, rachilla conspicuous flattened, zigzag, flowers in 2-farious. Immature fruit narrowly cylinder, red when ripe, ovate-ellipsoid, 16–18 ΄ 8 mm, mucronate apical. Endosperm ruminate. Fr. Oct–Nov.

Forests, 400–900 m, W Guangdong, W to E Guangxi. May be also in SE Yunnan.

7. Pinanga hexasticha (Kurz) Schaeffer in Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. 1: 148. 1976. Areca hexasticha Kurz in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 43(2): 201. t. 12. 1874.

  lu lie shan bing lang

Clustering shrub, 2–4 m tall or above, 1.5 cm in diam. or more, covered in brownish small spotted on the stem. Leaf-sheath, petiole, and rachis densely covered in brown spot-shaped furfuraceous. Leaves 10–95 cm or more, adaxially deeply green, abaxially greenish or gray-green the terminal 1 paired leaflet broader, 20 ΄ 8 cm, 8–9 nerved; downwarding leaflets narrowly and long, 30–35 ΄ 3.5–6 cm, 2–4 nerved, the upper leaflets truncate apical with sharp obtuse-toothed, other leaflets except the terminal ones falcate apical, the lower leaflets narrowly, acuminate apical, falcate, gradually narrowly at the base, slightly S-shaped zigzag, nerves gray, densely covered in brownish spot-shaped scales or small papillosed on large nerves, veinlets and abaxially. Inflorescence solitary, unbranched, recurved, robust, slightly flattened, 14–18 cm or more, flowers in (5–)6-farious on the rachilla, sepal nearly similar to petals, broad-ovate, obtuse or slightly obtuse apical, ca. 3 mm. Immature fruit subspindle-shaped, together with fruiting perianth ca. 13–14 ΄ 3 mm, narrowly apical. Fr. winter.

Tropical forests, 300–400 m, W Yunnan [Myanmar].

8. Pinangra gracilis (Roxburgh) Blume Rumph. 2: 77. 1986.

  xian xi shan bing lang

Area gracilis Roxburgh Hort. Beng. 68. 1814. nom. nud. & Fl. Ind. 3: 619. 1832; Pinanga patula b gracilis Schaeffer.

Clustering shrub, 2 m tall or above, 1.5 cm in diam. or more, covered in purplish-brown furfuraceous on the stem. Leaf-rachis covered in brown spot-shaped scales. Leaves 70 cm or more; leaflets adaxially deeply green, abaxially slightly tinge, 4 paired or more opposite, lanceolate, the upper leaflets 30–50 ΄ 7–9 cm, other ones gradually narrowly, 15–5 cm in wide, downwarding narrowly at the base; the terminal 1 paired leaflet truncate with slightly deep obtuse toothed (2-lobelets apical), other ones falcate acuminate apical, conspicuous 3–6 nerved, the upper leaflets up to 11–12 nerved, densely covered in brownish spot-shaped scales on large nerves, veinlets and adaxially. Inflorescence solitary, unbranched, ca. 20 cm, flowers in 3-farious on the rachilla. Fruit red when ripe, subspindle-shaped or ovate-ellipsoid, ca. 8 ΄ 8–10 mm, with vertical striated when dry. Fr. Aug.

Broad-leaved forest, 900 m, Xizang (Motuo) [Bangladesh, Bhutan, India (Assam), Myanmar].

20. ELAEIS Jacquin in Select. Sirp. Amer. 280. 1763.

  you zong shu  ________  you ye zi shu

Erect, usually tree. Leaves in groups at the stem apical, pinnate; leaflets reduplicate, linear-lanceolate, the lower leaflets on the rachis reduced as a spiny. Flower unisexual, monoecious, but borne in separate inflorescences; inflorescence axially, branching short and condensed, peduncle short, supported by sparsely bract-shaped spathes; male inflorescence composing of several finger-shaped arranged spike, densely bearing male flowers, rachilla prominent, point-capitated; male flower sepals 3-lobes, distinct, oblong or lanceolate, petals 3-lobes, distinct, oblong, stamens 6, filament basally connate to form a alter-shaped, apart apical; female inflorescence subcapitated, the female flower lower bearing 2 acute or spin-tipped bracteoles, sepals and petals 3-lobes, ovate or enlarged after flowering; ovary ovoid or subcolumnar, 3-locules, usually 1–2 locules sterile, style short, stigma 3, linear. Fruit ovoid or obovoid, epicarp smooth, mesocarp thick, fleshy, fibrous, endocarp woody and very hard, with 3 apical pores. 1–3 seeded, endosperm homogenous, embryo sublateral.

2 species in tropical Africa and S America. 1 species cultivated in tropical areas of China.

1. Elaeis guineensis Jacquin in Select. Amer. 280. t. 172. 1763.

  you zong  ________  you ye zi

Erect tree, up to 10 m tall or above, 50 cm in diam. Leaves 3–4.5 m; leaflets reduplicate, linear-lanceolate, 70–80 ΄ 2–4 cm, the lower leaflets on the rachis reduced as a spiny. Monoecious, but borne in separate inflorescences; male inflorescence composing of several finger-shaped arranged spike, spike 7–12 ΄ 1 cm, densely bearing flowers, rachilla prominent point-capitated, bracts oblong, point-tipped apical; male flower sepals and petals oblong, 4 ΄ 1 mm, acute apex; female inflorescence subcapitated, condensed, 20–30 cm, bracts large, 2 cm, apical spines 7–30 cm; female flower sepals and petals ovate or ovate-oblong, 5 ΄ 2.5 cm; ovary ca. 8 mm. Fruit ovoid or obovoid, 4–5 ΄ 3, orange-red when ripe. Seed subglobose or ovoid. Fl. Jun, fr. Sep.

Cultivated in Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan [Tropical Africal].

An important oil plant, its oil edible and industry production, especially in food industry.

23. COCOS Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1188. 1753.

  ye zi shu

Erect tree, stem with conspicuous ringed of leaf scars. Leaves pinnate; leaflets numerous, conspicuous reduplicate. Inflorescence interfoliar, panicle, spathes 2, long and woody; flowers unisexual, monoecious; male flower small, numerous, aggregated at the upper portion of partial inflorescence; female flower large, a few, bearing at the lower portion of the branching or sometimes male and female flowers mixed; male flower sepals 3, petals 3, larger than calyx, stamens 6, filament thick, pistolloid very small or absent; female flower sepals and petals 3-lobed, ovate; ovary 3-locules, 3-ovulates, but usually 1 locule fertile only; style short, stigma 3. Fruit broad-ovoid, trigonous or inconspicuous, epicarp smooth, mesocarp thick and fibrous, endocarp woody and hard, with 3 basal pores; 1-seeded, adhered the endocarp; endosperm massiness, homogenous, or a layer adnated the endocarp, with a central cavity filled with abundant fluid; embryo basal, opposite one of the endocarp pores.

1 species, tropical littoral. Distributed or cultivated in Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan and Yunnan.

1. Cocos nucifera Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1188. 17.

  ye zi _________ ke ke ye zi

Large tree, 15–30 m tall, stem robust, with ringed of leaf scars, enlarged at the base, usually with fascicled roots. Leaves 3–4 m; leaflets numerous, reduplicate, linear-lanceolate, 65–100 ΄ 3–4 cm, acuminate apical; petiole robust, 1 m above. Inflorescence axially, 1.5–2 m, branched multiple; spathes spindle-shaped, thick woody, the lowest ones 60–100 cm or more, deciduous when old; male flower sepals 3-lobes, scale-shaped, 3–4 mm, petals 3-lobes, ovate-oblong, 1–1.5 cm, stamens 6; female flower sepal broad-rounded, petals similar the sepals, but smaller. Fruit ovoid or subglobose, slightly trigonous apical, ca. 15–25 cm, epicarp thin, mesocarp thick and fibrous, endocarp woody and hard, with 3 basal pores, the cavity filled with endosperm (“fleshy” or nut), embryo and fluid (coconut water). Fl and fr. autumn.

Tropical areas, S island of Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan and Yunnan.

Coconut has very high value. Immature endosperm is delicuous as tropical fruit for eating; matured endosperm contains fat to 70% for making oil, and making variously candy, cake; coconut water is a refreshing drink, and is a good accelerant of tissue culture due to it contains growth materials; the coconut husk for making variously vessels and articles, is also used for making active carbon; coconut fiber is used for making brush, carpet and ropes, etc. Trunk is used for building materials; leaves are used for thatching housetop or weaving; roots are used as medicines. In additional, it is a beautiful plant for ornamental.

24. SYAGRUS Martius Palm. Fam. 18. 1824.

  jin shan kui shu

Cocos Subgen. Arecastrum Drude in Martius, Fl. Brasil. 3(2): 4: 2. 1881. Arecastrum (Drude) Beccari.

Dwarf or tall, solitary or clustering, unarmed or armed palm, stem with ringed of leaf scars, sometimes swollen at the base. Leaves pinnate, marcescent or nearly abscising; sheaths disintegrating into an interwoven fibers; petiole margin smooth or bearing short caducous fibers, rarely spiny fibers, surface glabrous or variously tomentose or scaly, sometimes waxy; rachis covered in variously scaly, tomentose or glabrous; leaflets single-fold, reduplicate, regularly or irregularly arranged, held in one or several planes, linear, apex acute, acuminate or obtuse, with shallowly 2-fid. Inflorescence solitary interfoliar, usually branching to 1 order, rarely spikelet; flower triad at the base of the rachilla, upwarding paired or solitary male flower at the apical; male and female flower sepals and petals 3-lobes, distinct; stamens 6; staminodes ring membranous, slightly 6-toothed, occasionally apparently absent; gynoecium 3-locules, 3-ovules, ovule lateral. Fruit globose, ovoid or ellipsoid, yellow or reddish or orange-yellow, epicarp smooth or striated, mesocarp fleshy or dry, with longitudinal fibers endocarp thick, woody, with basal or sub-basal pores, cavity irreguarly or more usually circular, rarely triangular. Seed conforming to the shape of the endocarp cavity, endosperm homogenous, sometimes with a central cavity; embryo basal or sub-basal, opposite one of the endocarp pores.

Ca. 32 species in S America, from Venezuela to Argentina with many greatest number of species in Brazil. 1 species in Lesser Antilles. 1 species cultivated in S China.

1. Syagrus romanzoffiana (Chamisso) Glassm. in Fieldiana, Botany, 31: 382. f. 10. t. 14. 1968.

  jin shan kui

Cocos romanzoffiana Cham. Chir. Voy. Pitt. 5–6. t. 5–6. 1822. Arecastrum romanzoffianum (Cham.) Beccari.

Tree, 10–15 m tall, 20–40 cm in diam. Leaves 4–5 m; leaflets numerous, nearly in groups of 2–5 arranged in several-farious, linear-lanceolate, the largest ones 95–100 ΄ 4 cm, slightly sparsely apical, shorter, narrowly linear (ca. 2 cm in wide), with 1 conspicuous mid-nerve, unarmed, covered in furfuraceous abaxially of the midnerve, leaflets shallowly 2-lobelets apical; petiole and rachis covered in caducous brown furfuraceous tomentose. Inflorescence up to 1 m, branching to 1 order, branched up to 80 or more, each ones 30–50 cm, zigzag, bearing female flower on the middle and basally, male apical; monoecious; male flower 7–16 mm (gradually short apical); female up to 4.5–6 mm. Fruit subglobose or obovoid, 3 ΄ 2.7 cm, epicarp orange-yellow when fresh, brown when dry. Endosperm with equality angled, with a small central cavity, embryo sub-basal. Fl. Feb, fr. Nov–Mar.

Cultivated in S China [tropical and subtropical areas, Brazil]. A ornamental plant, fruit edible.

25. NYPA Steck in Diss. Inaug. Med. Sagu 15. 1757.

  shui ye shu

Nipa Thunberg in Kongl. Vet. Acad. Nya Handl. Stockh. 3: 231. 1782.

Large, creeping, clustering palm. Leaves pinnate, erect, reduplicate; sheath soon splitting, glabrous; petiole robust; leaflets numerous, single-fold, regularly arranged, abaxially midrib prominent bearing distinctive, chest-colored, membranous ramenta. Inflorescence solitary, interfoliar, erect, branched to 5(–6) orders; peduncle columnar, bearing several tubular spathes; unisexual, monoecious, terminating in a head of female flowers, male flowers at the lateral catkin-like rachis; each male flower subtending by a bract, sepals and petals 3-lobes, distinct; stamens 3, filament and anther connate ina solid stalk; pistollode absent; female flowers different from male, sepals and petals 3-lobes, distinct; staminodes absent; carpels 3(–4), distinct, slightly obovoid, assymetrical, 3-ovules, anatropous. Fruit obovoid, developing from 1 carpel, compressed and irreguarly angled, stigmatic remains apical, epicarp smooth, mesocarp fleshy, fibrous, endocarp thick, sponged composed of interwoven fibrous strands. Seed broad-ovoid, grooved adaxially, hilum basal, endosperm homogeneous, hollow, embryo basal.

1 species in E and S Asia and tropical Australia. 1 species in SE Harbor-bay of Hainan.

1. Nypa fructians Wurb. in Verh. Bat. Gen. 1: 349. 1779. Nipa fructicans Thunberg in Vet Acad. Nya Handl. Storkh. 3: 231. 1782. Cocos nypa Lourerio.

  shui ye  _________  lu bi  ________  zhu zi

Robust, creeping, clustering palms. Leaves 4–7 m; leaflets numerous, regularly arranged, reduplicate, 50–80 ΄ 3–5 cm, acute apex, entire, midrib prominent bearing fibrous, versatile, membranous small scales. Inflorescence 1 m or more; male flowers catkin-like at the later side of the rachis; female flower terminating in a head. Infructescence globose, with 32–38 ripen carpels; fruit brown, shining, obovoid, 9–11 cm, slightly compressed and 6-angled, epicarp smooth, mesocarp fleshy, fibrous, endocarp sponged. Seed subglobose or broad-ovoid, 3–4 ΄ 4 cm, endosperm white, homogenous, hollow, embryo basal. Fl. Jul.

Coastal mangrove area, SE Hainan (Yaxian, Lingshui, Wanning, Wenzhang) [E (Huangliu Islands), S (Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia) Asia to Australia, Solomon Islands].

With very high economic value, immature fruit edible or for chowchow; juice from inflorescence are used for making sugar, vintage, and making vinegar; leaves is covered house, is also for weaving; young leaves used as tobacco paper in local people of other countries; in additional, it are used for against tide, fencing bank, and ornamental.