Knema pallens W.J.deWilde, Blumea 25 (1979)
Latin for 'pale'.
Diagnostics
Sub-canopy tree up to 25(-30) m tall and 36 cm dbh. Stem with red sap. Stipules
absent. Leaves alternate, very large, simple, penni-veined, glabrous to hairy
below, whitish below. Flowers ca. 9 mm diameter, brownish, placed in bundles.
Fruits ca. 44 mm long, yellow-red-brown, hairy, dehiscent capsules. Seeds with
nearly undivided red aril.
Description
Tree 8-30 m. Twigs sometimes +/- angular, 5-12 mm diameter, at first with pale brown
hairs 0.2-2(-2.5) mm long, glabrescent; bark greyish brown, not striate, conspicuously
longitudinally cracking, and flaking. Leaves chartaceous or coriaceous, when immature
with dense indumentum, elliptic to lanceolate, 25-55 by (5-)6-23 cm, apex acute-acuminate
or obtuse, base cordate, rarely rounded or subattenuate; greenish brown, +/- glossy
above; lower surface pale, glabrous, finely papillate; dots absent; midrib stout, raised
above; nerves 18-32 pairs, raised above; venation coarse, sunken, faint above; petiole
late glabrescent, 10-20 by 5-8 mm. Inflorescences: sessile, brachyblast simple, furcate,
or warted, 5-20 mm diameter, in male (5-)10-30-flowered. female 10-20(-40)-tlowered;
flowers with yellowish brown hairs (0.1-)1 mm long; perianth 3- (or 4-)lobed,
reddish inside, at base thickened into a +/- striated disc. Male flowers: pedicel 12-20 mm
long, bracteole 2-3 mm, caducous or (sub)persistent, median to (sub)apical; buds (depressed)
globose or broadly obovoid, 6-10 by 6.5-10 mm, cleft 4/5 or more, lobes 1.5-
2.5(-5) mm thick; staminal disc circular, flat or slightly concave, 2.5-4.5 mm diameter;
anthers 15-23, just sessile, almost horizontal, 0.6-1 mm long, sometimes shortly apiculate,
not touching; androphore somewhat tapering, 1-1.5 mm long. Female flowers: pedicel
(7-)10-20 mm long, bracteole about median; buds obovoid, 11 by 8-9 mm, cleft c. 2/3,
lobes 2 mm thick; ovary subglobose, 3.5 mm diameter; style 1-1.5 mm long; stigma
+/- flat, 2-lobed and each lobe again 5-7-lobulate. Fruits 1-6 per infructescence, ellipsoid,
3.5-7 by 2.5-3.5(-4.5) cm, with light brown hairs 1-2 mm long; dry pericarp 4-7
mm thick; fruiting pedicel (10-)14-30 mm long. [from Flora Malesiana]
Ecology
In undisturbed to slightly disturbed (open) mixed dipterocarp, keranga and near coastal
forests up to 300 m altitude. On hillsides and along rivers and streams with
clay to sandy soils.
Distribution
Borneo.
Local names
Borneo: Darah-darah.
|