Mapania lorea
Content
Description
Leaves thickly coriaceous, linear, with the midnerve prominent beneath, and several indistinct lateral nerves, finely transversely wrinkled by very numerous cross-nervules connecting the nerves, slightly narrowed towards the conduplicate base, gradually attenuate to the very slender, triquetrous, aculeate- scabrous tip, densely serrate-scabrous throughout the margins and on the upper half of the keel on the lower side, also aculeate-scabrous on the upper surface in the upper part, glaucous, up to 1 m by 1-2 cm;
Inflorescence always a single spikelet, subglobose to cylindrical, terete, very obtuse when in fruit, 1-4 by 1-1½ cm.
Flowers about as long as the glumes;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo present (Sarawak present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present, Singapore present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), E. Borneo present, Enggano present, Johore present, Kilagan present, Long Tubus present, N. Borneo present, P. Rupat present, Perak present, Siak R. region present
Malesia: Sumatra (Siak R. region and P. Rupat), Enggano, Malay Peninsula (Perak, Johore, Singapore), Borneo (Sarawak, once collected; E. Borneo: Long Tubus; N. Borneo: Kilagan).
Notes
Distinguishable from M. tenuiscapa by the much thicker, leathery, transversely wrinkled leaves with only one distinct nerve, the more robust scapes, and the leaves scabrous also on the upper side just below the tail. In appearance it is similar to M. kurzii, but this species has always a capitate inflorescence, with several dark reddish spikelets, almost ribbed glumes, smooth upper side of the leaves, and distinctly winged outermost flower-scales.
The base of the leaf is usually dark brown to almost black, but in the Enggano specimens of a much lighter colour.
The base of the leaf is usually dark brown to almost black, but in the Enggano specimens of a much lighter colour.