ALOCASIA LANCIFOLIA
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:
Caudiculus erectus 2 cm. crassus. Foliorum petiolus quam lamina duplo brevior e basi lata ad 3/4 longitudinis vaginatus, lamina oblanceolata a triente superiore versus basin brevilobam sensim angustata, cum acumine elongato-triangulari 1.5 cm. longo cire. 3 dm. longa, superne 8—9 cm. lata, lobis posticis i — 2 cm. latis, 05—1 cm. longis, nervis lateralibus I utrinque cire. 8 arcuatim adscendentibus, nervis lateralibus II tenuibus. Pedunculus petiolo brevior, fructifer longior. Spathae tubus oblongo-ovoideus fere 2 cm. longus, lamina oblongo-lanceolata acuminata 6 cm. longa, 1.8 cm. lata. Spadicis brevissime stipitati inflorescentia feminea cire. 1.2 cm. longa a mascula fertili 1.7 cm. longa insterstitio 5 mm. longo organis neutris depressis obsesso separata, appendix auguste claviformis valde rugosa. Synandria ambitu orbicularia 4-andria, thecis oblongis rima reniformi dehiscentibus i mm. longis. Pistilla depressa stigmate breviter trilobo coronata. Baccae depressae i cm. longae, cire. 1.3 cm. crassae, semina usque 9 continentes. Semina reniformia 3 mm. crassa.
Papuanische Provinz : Niederl. Neu-Guinea am Untedauf des Noord-Fluss (Von Rômer n. 408. —Fruchtend am 2. Okt. 1909) auf deni Kuskus-Hugel (von Rômer n. 613. — Bluhend am 18. Okt. 1909.
SYNONYMS: N/A
DISTRIBUTION: Widespread but very scattered in the New Guinea
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: Lowlands, in open swampy places in lowland rain forest, and along forest streams; sometimes gregarious; to c. 600 m altitude
SPECIES DESCRIPTION:
Rather small to moderately robust herb; stem decumbent erect, c. 40 cm long, to 6 cm diam.; leaves 5-11 together; petiole much shorter than to equalling the blade, to c. 35 cm long, sheathing for more than half its length, margins of the sheath inrolled; blade rather coriaceous, mid-green, glossy above, broadly oblanceolate, to c. 50 cm long (usually much less), 14 cm wide at widest point, the tip shortly acuminate; anterior costa with up to 8 primary veins diverging at an angle of about 50-60 degrees; posterior lobes much reduced, c. 6 cm long, triangular, pointed; secondary venation indistinct, not raised; interprimary collective veins absent
INFLORESCENCE:
Inflorescences paired, subtended by a persistent green cataphyll; peduncle rather short, barely emerging from the cataphyll; spathe green, to c. 9-11 cm long, constricted at c. 2.5 cm from the base, the limb narrow, clasping the spadix, opening only level with the female flowers, to c. 9 cm long, pale greenish yellow; spadix almost as long as the spathe; female zone c. 0.6-1.2 cm long; with c. 10-20 pistils; ovary unilocular with several anatropous ovules; stigma indistinctly trilobed; interstice of sterile organs c. 0.5-1 cm long; male zone c. 1.7-2.5 cm long, c. 4 mm diam., white, more or less cylindrical; synandria more or less rhomboidal, dehiscing by apical pores; appendix 3-4 cm long, tapering to narrowly clavate, rugose to smooth, c. 3 mm diam.; fruiting spathe at first persistent and reddening, then split into longitudinally recurved segments; berries orange-red, several-seeded; seeds reniform, c. 3.5 mm diam.
VARIEGATED FORMS: N/A
ETYMOLOGY: The plant is after the lanceolate shape of its leaves
NOTES: Krause cited two Ledermann collections from Etappenberg, East Sepik Province (Ledermann 9268 and 9558), both presumed destroyed at Berlin. It has not since been recorded from that Province. The habitat preference and highly distinctive leaf form suggest some degree of rheophytic stenophylly.
Other specimens seen:
IRIAN JAYA. Camp Albatross, Docters van Leeuwen 9655,11307 (BO); Pionierbivak, Lam 429 (BO); Noord (Lorentz) R., von Romer 613 (BO); Fakfak, Minika Timur, road to Kwamki, Widjaja 2517, 2543 (BO).
PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Central Prov., Vailala R., Brass 913 (A, BRI); Dieni, Ononge road, Brass 3959 (A, BO, BRI); Western Prov., Fly R„ 528 mi Camp, Brass 6687 (A); Palmer R., 2 mi below jnct. with Black R., Brass 7343 (A, L); Central Prov., Veiya, Carr 11653 (L), 11679 (CANB, L); Gulf Prov., nr Putci, jnct. Tauri & Kapau Rivers, Craven & Schodde 971 (CANB); Central Prov., Brown River road, c. 40 km from Port Moresby, Hay 4056 (NSW, UPNG); Subitana, Hay 4062 (NSW); Kuriva Forestry area, Veimauri R., LAE 51570 (BRI, L, LAE, US); West Sepik Prov., Blackwater Ck., logging area, LAE 56453 (NSW); Western Prov., 2 km from Nomad, LAE 74025 (LAE); Gulf Prov., Omati, NGE 5073 (A, BRI, K, L, LAE); Western Prov., Moorhead, Slrachan R., NGF 35428 (L, LAE); Central Prov., Brown River Forest Reserve, 25 mi NW of Port Moresby, Nicolson 1425 (K, L, LAE); Sogeri Rubber Estates, c. 30 mi E of Port Moresby, Nicolson 1438 (LAE, US); Sogeri Plateau, between Subitana & Javerere, Nicolson 1443 (LAE, US); Western Prov., lower Strickland R., c. 3 mi below Massey Baker's jnct., Pullen 7449 (CANB, LAE).
CULTIVARS: N/A
HYBRIDS: N/A
