ALOCASIA JIEWHOEI
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:
Alocasiae odorae similis in folii lamina peltata et spathae lamina dilute viridi, sed spathae lamina cymbiformi, stylis longis, stigmatibus longe lobatis differt.
Typus: Cambodia, Siem Riep Province, Phrom Ku Len National Park, 13o36’58.1” N 104o02’20.4” E, 150 m alt., V.D. Nguyen & Rattana CBVN 212 (holotype, HN; isotypes, K, P, MO).
Described by V. D. NGUYEN in Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 62 (1): 121-126 (2010)
SYNONYMS: N/A
DISTRIBUTION: Cambodia
CLIMATE: Tropical humid climate
Humidity is moderate throughout the year, ranging from 60% to 70%
Temperature is varies between the seasons - within the range of 48°F/9°C to 88°F/31°C during the day. Minimum temperatures never dip below 45°F/7°C
Rainy and humid season (October to May) and a dry season between June and October. The average annual rainfall is 1,200 mm
ECOLOGY: Dry seasonal forest, altitude 0-500 m.
SPECIES DESCRIPTION:
Rhizomatous plants, ca 70 cm tall. Rhizomes decumbent, slender to stout, aerial parts 10-15 cm long, 1-4 cm in diameter, internodes 1.5-3 mm long, grey to dark brown externally, light yellow internally, covered by traces of decayed cataphylls. Roots stout, 10-15 cm long, not branched. Stolons several, subterranean, apex aerial, bearing bulbils at the apex; bulbils obovate, winged, six-angular in cross section, 1.5 cm long, ca 1 cm in diameter, oblong at base, abruptly acuminate, covered by several brown, small triangular scales. Leaves peltate, 4-7 together; petioles slender, 40-70 cm long, sheathed up to >1/3 of the length, green with dull dark green veins sunk below the surface; leaf blades ovate, 22-50 cm long, 17-30 cm at widest point, basal lobes broadly triangular, 7-16 cm long, 6-13 cm wide at base, apices obtuse, connection between 2 lobes 5-8 cm wide from petiole apex, dark green and glossy above, dull green beneath; lateral veins 7-8 pairs in anterior lobes, -3 veins in posterior lobes, pronounced above, prominent beneath, secondary veins originating from lateral veins and midrib, run parallel and ascend towards leaf margins, connected by reticular veins
INFLORESCENCE:
Inflorescences one per axil, several per plant; peduncles slender, 5-30(-45) cm long, 7- 10mm in diameter, expanded at top, green, covered by a thin white chalky layer; spathes 11-12 cm long, constricted about 1/5 of the way from the base;lower part ellipsoid or subglobose, green; limb 8.3- 10 cm long, ca 4 cm wide, cymbiform, green when young, medium green at anthesis; spadices 8.5-10 cm long; female zones cylindrical, 0.8-1 cm long, female flowers congested, light yellow; ovaries subglobose in general, shallowly concaved into three lobes, 2 mm in diameter, green; styles mm long, white; stigmas three lobed, 1-1.2 mm wide, white; ovules ca 10, placentation basal; sterile interstice conical at lower part, constricted near apex then slightly expanded at apex, 1.8-2.3cm long, 9 mm in diameter at base, 3-4 mm at the constriction and 4-5 mm at apex, bearing 2 whorls of white, acute-ovate, flattened sterile flowers in upper part; base covered by rows of sterile flowers, columnar or ring-like; male zones cylindrical, 1.8- 2.3 cm long, 8-10 mm in diameter, oblong to base, white; appendices conical, 3.5-4.8 cm long, smaller in diameter than male zone, acute at apex, very shallowly concaved on surface, without veins, dull white; male flowers sub-rectangular, 3 mm long, ca 2 mm wide, bearing 4-6 stamens. Berries subglobose, 3-4 mm in diameter; seeds 2-3.
VARIEGATED FORMS: N/A
ETYMOLOGY: The plant is named in honour of Tan Jiew Hoe of Singapore.
NOTES: The plant is found in the Phrom Ku Len National Park of Siem Riep Province where the forest is protected. Although the new species is rare, there is little data to show if it is threatened.
CULTIVARS: N/A
HYBRIDS: N/A
