Scirpodendron ghaeri
Content
Description
Leaves numerous, coriaceous, drooping in the upper part, plicate, with 3 prominent nerves, aculeate-scabrous on the margins and the midrib beneath in the upper part, rather gradually narrowed into a filiform, triquetrous, scabrous, 15-25 cm long tail, 1-4 m by 2-5 cm;
Flowers slightly shorter than the glumes.
Panicle dense, oblong-ovoid, (5-)10-20 by up to 7 cm when in fruit;
Fruit conical-ellipsoid, acute, usually with c. 6 more or less tuberculate longitudinal ribs, dusky brown, 1-1½ by c. 1 cm;
Distribution
Amboina present, Asia-Tropical: Borneo present (Sarawak present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present; Philippines (Philippines present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Banka present, Biliran present, Burn present, Ceram present, Ceylon present, Cook Distr present, Halmaheira present, Kandari present, Leyte present, Luzon present, Mentawei present, Mindanao present, N. & E. Borneo present, New Hebrides present, North Queensland present, P. Penang present, Pacific: Fiji (Fiji present); Samoa (Samoa present), Palawan present, Peninsular Thailand present, Polillo present, Polynesia present, SE. Celebes present, Simalur present, Sorong present, Sulu Is present, Ternate present, West and Central Java present
Ceylon, Peninsular Thailand, North Queensland (Cook Distr., very rare), New Hebrides, Polynesia (Fiji, Samoa); in Malesia: Sumatra (and the adjacent islands Simalur, Mentawei, Banka), Malay Peninsula (also in P. Penang), West and Central Java (rare), Borneo (Sarawak, N. & E. Borneo), Philippines (Palawan, Luzon, Polillo, Leyte, Biliran, Mindanao), SE. Celebes (Kandari), Moluccas (Halmaheira, Ternate, Sulu Is., Burn, Ceram, Amboina), New Guinea (Sorong).
Ecology
Freshwater tidal areas on clayish soil, tidal swamp forests, transition forests behind the mangrove, along rivermouths, especially in places where during high tide or heavy rainfall the water is waist deep. Because of the cutting, pandan-like leaves often forming almost impenetrable pure stands, which on aerial photographs can easily be recognised amidst the small-crown swamp forests.
According to , the large fruits readily float away when the water rises, and they are largely carried off by rats, which eat the corky exterior.
According to , the large fruits readily float away when the water rises, and they are largely carried off by rats, which eat the corky exterior.
Uses
In Sumatra, Leyte, and the Moluccas (also in Ceylon) the dried leaves are used for making mats and hats, in Fiji for thatching. In S. Sumatra (Djambi, Palembang) the species is sometimes cultivated for this purpose. The material is apparently of inferior quality. In Samoa the fruits are eaten by the natives; this use is not reported from Malesia.
Citation
GOEBEL 1888: p. 122. – In: Ann. Jard. Bot. Btzg: t. 14, f. 1-11
KURZ 1907 – In: Mat. Fl. Mal. Pen. (Monoc.): 106
SCHEFF. 1874 – In: Nat. Tijd. N. I.: 91
Ridl. 1925 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 175
KURZ 1922: Atlas: f. 266
Koord. 1911 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 202
Merr. 1907 – In: Philip. J. Sc.: Bot. 422
Merr. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 131
KERN 1968 – In: Back. & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 3: 454
Benth. 1878 – In: Fl. Austr.: 341
RAYM. 1964 – In: Nat. Canad.: 131
Clarke 1909: Ill. Cyp.: f. 7-12
Clarke 1894 – In: Fl. Br. Ind.: 684
H. PFEIFF. 1925 – In: Bot. Arch.: 446
RIDL. & WINKL. 1910 – In: Bot. Jahrb.: 202
Miq. 1855 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 163
C. B. ROB. 1911 – In: Philip. J. Sc.: Bot. 195
UITTIEN 1949 – In: Back., Bekn. Fl. Java. (em. ed.) 10: fam. 246, p. 53
H. PFEIFF. 1930 – In: Fedde, Rep. 28: 20
S. T. BLAKE 1943 – In: Proc. R. Soc. Queensl.: 73
Ridl. 1906 – In: J. Str. Br. R. As. Soc.: 227
KURZ 1870 – In: J. As. Soc. Beng.: 85
BROWN 1920 – In: Min. Prod. Philip. For.: 352
Merr. 1917: Int. Rumph.: 106
HEYNE 1927: Nutt. Pl.: 313
Merr. 1921: En. Born.: 64
SPRENG. 1826 – In: Syst.: 897
BOERL. 1895 – In: J. Linn. Soc. Bot.: 246
HOOK.ƒ. 1900: p. 92. – In: Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 5: t. 97