Machaerina falcata
Content
Description
Leaves coriaceous, equitant, ensiform, gradually narrowed upwards and shortly acuminate, smooth, (7-)10-20 mm wide.
Stamens 3 (or in some flowers 2);
Panicle erect, ovate to oblong, usually dense or very dense, consisting of c. 3 approximate fascicles of branches, 8-12(-25)cm long.
Distribution
Arfak Mts present, Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present; Philippines (Philippines present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Bismarck Mts present, Bougainville present, Luzon present, Mindanao present, Mindoro present, Mt Carstensz present, Mt Kinabalu present, Mts Singgalang present, N. & Central Celebes present, N. Borneo present, Negros present, New Hebrides present, Pacific: Fiji (Fiji present); Hawaii present; Samoa (Samoa present), Solomons present, Talamau present
Hawaii, Samoa Islands, Fiji, New Hebrides, Solomons (Bougainville), in Malesia: Sumatra (Mts Singgalang and Talamau), N. Borneo (Mt Kinabalu), Philippines (Luzon, Mindoro, Negros, Mindanao), N. & Central Celebes, New Guinea (Arfak Mts, Mt Carstensz, Bismarck Mts).
Notes
Very variable in stoutness, width of the leaves, etc. Stout specimens from Sumatra with leaves c. 2 cm wide, the lowest partial inflorescence more distant, the branches of the inflorescence more exserted from the sheath, and often a single, very short hypogynous bristle, were described as Cladium falcatum var. sumatrense ; Some specimens from Borneo and the Philippines are very similar to the Sumatran ones, which certainly do not represent a geographical race. The specimens collected in N. Celebes have looser panicles with branches more exserted from the sheaths. They were distinguished as Cladium falcatum var. celebicum . In my opinion both varieties have little or no taxonomic value.
Machaerina angustifolia (GAUDICH.) KOYAMA (= Cladium angustifolium DRAKE), to which species KÜKENTHAL referred two collections from New Guinea, is very near to M.falcata, but differs by the narrow, elongate panicle, the straight, oblong, somewhat larger spikelets, and the broadly winged stipe of the nut c. 2 mm long. It is apparently restricted to Hawaii.
Machaerina angustifolia (GAUDICH.) KOYAMA (= Cladium angustifolium DRAKE), to which species KÜKENTHAL referred two collections from New Guinea, is very near to M.falcata, but differs by the narrow, elongate panicle, the straight, oblong, somewhat larger spikelets, and the broadly winged stipe of the nut c. 2 mm long. It is apparently restricted to Hawaii.