Volume 11 > Part 2 > Year 2012 > Page 279 > Araceae > Rhaphidophora

13. Rhaphidophora montana (Blume) Schott

Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 1: 128. 1863; Engl. in A.DC. & C.DC., Monogr. Phan. 2: 240–241. 1879; Engl. & Krause in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV, 23B (Heft 37): 40–41. 1908; Boyce, Gard. Bull. Singapore 51: 233–236, fig. 13. 1999.— Calla montana Blume, Catalogus: 62. 1823.— Scindapsus montanus (Blume) Kunth, Enum. Pl. 3: 64. 1841.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Large, occasionally very large, robust, pachycaul homeophyllous secondary hemiepiphyte to 15 m. Stems smooth, rectangular in cross-section, the angles often strongly winged, the surfaces between ±flat, ca 1–3 cm diam. Leaves spiro-distichous on adherent and free shoots, those distal on flowering shoots densely so; petiole deeply grooved adaxially, 10–23 by 0.25–0.5 cm, smooth, apical and basal pulvini weakly defined; petiolar sheath very prominent, extending to and encircling the apical pulvinus, briefly ligulate, very soon drying and falling; leaf blade elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate or falcate-oblong, 8–43 by 2.5–15 cm, coriaceous, glossy adaxially, semi matte abaxially, base subacute to decurrent, apex subacute with a somewhat prominent apiculate tubule, margins very slightly revolute in dried material; midrib raised abaxially, slightly sunken adaxially; primary lateral veins pinnate, slightly raised abaxially and adaxially; interprimaries parallel to primaries and only slightly less prominent, very slightly raised abaxially and adaxially; secondary and tertiary venation ± obscure in fresh material, visible as a faint reticulum in dried specimens. Inflorescence solitary at tips of free lateral shoots, subtended by a fully developed foliage leaf and one or more cataphylls; peduncle compressed-cylindrical, 10–15 by 0.3–0.5 cm; spathe canoe-shaped, 12–22 by 2.5–6.5 cm, very shortly, stoutly beaked, thickly stiff-fleshy, dull yellow, paler internally, falling at female receptivity; spadix tapering-cylindrical, 9–20 by 1.5–2 cm, ± sessile, inserted level on peduncle, cream. Infructescence 9–17 by 1.5–2.5 cm.

Thailand : SOUTH-EASTERN: Chanthaburi, Trat.

Distribution : Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra (type of Rhaphidophora angulata), Java (type and type of R. fallax).

Ecology : Evergreen lowland forests on granite.

Vernacular : Nom tamri (นมตำรี)(Trat).

Notes: Easy to recognize in its typical manifestation: stems rectangular in cross-section, shoot tips without fibre, spreading stiff elliptic leaf blades, and tapering cylindrical spadix to 9–16 cm long.