Volume 11 > Part 3 > Year 2013 > Page 334 > Arecaceae > Arenga

2. Arenga hookeriana (Becc.) Whitmorewfo-0000263620

Principes 14: 124. 1970; Thai Forest Bull., Bot. 32: 35. 2004.— Didymosperma hookerianum Becc., Malesia 3: 186. 1889.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Densely clustered shrub. Stem 0.6–2 cm diam. Leaves 5–10 per stem, simple, or rarely divided into few small segments; sheath deeply split, with margins resolving in fibrous mesh; petiole 30–60 cm long; blade 60–80 by 20–30 cm, oblong, distinctly silvery grey below, with up to 8 praemorse lobes on each side of rachis. 2–3 interfoliar, developing in basipetal sequence, the most distal one usually female, the others male but infrequently produced, spicate, or rarely with secondary branches, 25–30 cm long. 1–1.5 cm diam., globose, orange to red, densely inserted.

Thailand : PENINSULAR: Ranong, Surat Thani, Phangnga, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Trang, Songkhla, Pattani, Narathiwat.

Distribution : Peninsular Malaysia (type).

Ecology : Infrequent in wet forests through Peninsular Thailand, 100–600 m alt.

Vernacular : Sri siam (ศรีสยาม), tao rang sri siam (เต่าร้างศรีสยาม)(Bangkok).

Uses: Ornamental.

Conservation Status: Although locally common, the restricted overall distribution of this species is of concern. Local people speculate that most of the large specimens have been removed from the forest to adorn homes and gardens. Habitat destruction also represents a possible threat.

Notes: Selection and breeding of cultivated plants has revealed considerable variation even comprising divided leaves resembling those of Arenga caudata. Whether this is an effect of genetic variation or introgression with the latter is not clear, however. In nature the two species are apparently well separated and relatively easy to tell apart.