P. C. BOYCE, S. Y. WONG, 2014 33 Studies on Homalomeneae (Araceae) of Borneo XIV – A New Rheophytic Species of Homalomena from , Malaysian Borneo

Peter C. Boyce Research Fellow Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation (IBEC) Universiti Sarawak 94300 Sarawak, Malaysia [email protected] Wong Sin Yeng Department of Plant Science & Environmental Ecology Faculty of Resource Science & Technology Universiti Malaysia Sarawak 94300 Kota Samarahan Sarawak, Malaysia [email protected]

ABSTRACT don Supergroup and clearly unmatched with any yet described species, and which P.C.Boyce & Homalomena stella we here describe. S.Y.Wong is described as a new rheophytic species and illustrated from living plants. Homalomena stella P.C. Boyce & S.Y. Based on several shared morphological Wong, sp. nov. Type: Malaysian characteristics the possible affinity of H. Borneo, Sarawak, , Lubok stella with Homalomena havilandii Ridl. is Antu, , Nanga Sumpa, Sungai highlighted. Mawang, 1u2290.010N 112u7959.990E, 480 m asl, 18 Feb. 2010, P.C.Boyce & KEY WORDS S.Y.Wong AR- 3011 (holo SAR; iso SAR [spirit]). Fig. 1. Araceae, Borneo, Homalomena, Malay- sia, Sarawak, rheophytic. Diagnosis INTRODUCTION Homalomena stella most closely resem- Hitherto, rheophytism in Bornean Ho- bles Homalomena vagans but is readily malomena has been almost exclusively distinguished by the rosette of leaves on a associated with the Chamaecladon Super- compact, erect stem (vs. leaves scattered group (sensu Boyce & Wong, 2008), with along a creeping and rooting rhizome-like the only known species recorded as stem), and by the obscurely striate or rheophytic from other parts of the genus mottled petioles and peduncles. Although being the Bruneian and NE Sarawak H. yet to be analysed with molecular tech- vagans P. C. Boyce (Cyrtocladon Super- niques, Homalomena stella is probably group). However, fieldwork in the highly most closely allied to Homalomena havi- diverse and species-rich - landii, both characterized by pendent leaf river basin of west central Sarawak has blades lacking posterior lobes, with clear- revealed an often locally abundant rheo- ly visible pellucid primary lateral veins phytic species belonging to the Cyrtocla- on the abaxial surface, green spathes, a 34 AROIDEANA, Vol. 37

Fig. 1. Homalomena stella P.C.Boyce & S.Y.Wong. A. Flowering plant in habitat on a steep muddy riverbank, Type locality. Note the erect inflorescence. B. Plant viewed from above; note the matte green leaves and the paler mid-rib. C. & D. Inflorescence at onset pistillate anthesis. Note that the spadix has flexed to project from the spathe. E. Lower portion of a spadix with the spathe artificially removed prior to anthesis. Note that the spadix is straight. F. Inflorescence from the same plant as E, with the nearside spathe artificially removed to show the flexed spadix. Note that the stipe and pistillate zone are bent relative to the spadix in E. G. Plant post anthesis with the peduncle now declinate. A– C from AR-1602; C–E from AR-3011; G from an un-vouchered plant. Images E P.C.Boyce. P. C. BOYCE, S. Y. WONG, 2014 35 spadix elongating swiftly and projecting cences up to 10 together, produced forwards from the spathe at pistillate sequentially in a simple synflorescence; anthesis, and by the pistillate flowers each peduncle slender, about 10 cm, ca. 3 mm associated with a large staminode, with H. diam., except at the wider insertion of the stella differing from H. havilandii by the spathe, pale matte green with darker rheophytic (not lithophytic on dry boul- broken striae, spreading with the spathe ders) ecology, the narrowly elliptic (not erect at anthesis, later pendent, spathe triangular ovate) leaf blades, and the opening ventrally relative to the peduncle; triangular (not discoid-capitate) interpis- spathe ca. 6 cm long; lower part ca. 2 cm tillar staminodes. long, 1.4–2 cm wide, ellipsoid at pistillate anthesis, becoming globose at staminate Description anthesis, exterior medium green with darker veins, interior very pale greenish Medium, solitary, aromatic (reminiscent white; limb ca. 4 cm long, ca. 1.5 cm of mango resin) rheophytic herbs to 45 cm wide. spreading at pistillate anthesis, tall. Stem epigeal, erect, congested, all but narrowly ovate-ellipsoid, somewhat con- the oldest portions obscured by densely stricted at the junction with the convolute overlapping leaf bases, rooting from the lower part, exterior pale green with darker older exposed nodes and through the longitudinal veins, interior greenish white petiole bases. Leaves ca. 10 per module, with darker veining, tipped with a rostrate ca. 12–20 together, spiral; modules sub- mucro 5 mm long. Spadix straight and tended by a small conspicuously 2-keeled shorter than spathe during development, prophyll up to 3 cm long; petioles up to extending and flexing forwards at pistil- 23 cm long, sheathing for ca. 1/3 their late anthesis, ca. 5.5 cm long at pistillate length, spreading, flexing upwards at the anthesis; stipe oblong-globose, oblique, 2–3 cm long pulvinus occurring ca. 2/3 ca. 4 mm long on its longest side, ca. 3 mm along the petiole length, with 1/3 of the diam., waxy white; pistillate flower petiole lying distal to the pulvinus, petiole zone ca. 1/3 the length of the spadix, ca. above the petiolar sheath terete in cross 1.5 cm 3 5mm;pistils congested, section, petiole matte pale to medium cylindrical-globose, ca. 1 3 0.6 mm, bright green with a faint mottled and broken- medium green; style absent; stigma striate pattern; petiolar sheath persistent, narrower than the ovary, umbonate-capi- 7–8 cm long, margins incurved, sheath tate and impressed into the ovary, bright coloured as for petiole, the margins green, producing a conspicuous stigmatic narrowly marcescent; blade 17–25 3 4– droplet at pistillate anthesis; interpistil- 6 cm; narrowly lanceolate to very narrow- lar staminodes on a slender stalk, the ly elliptic, apex acuminate and tubular- tops expanded and triangular, equalling mucronate for ca. 4 mm, matte medium the height of the associated pistil, waxy olive green adaxially, abaxially matte pale white; staminate flower zone slightly green with darker pellucid striate inter- narrower than the pistillate flower zone, primary venation; midrib moderately con- with a single row of staminodes below the spicuous, creamy yellow and somewhat first row of pistillate flowers, ca. 3.5 3 impressed adaxially, rounded-raised 0.4 cm, cylindrical-fusiform, ivory white; abaxially; primary lateral veins about 4 staminate flowers very densely packed, per side, arising more ao less equally with individual flowers difficult to differ- spaced, impressed adaxially, slightly entiate in fresh material, 4-staminate, raised abaxially; interprimary veins stamens each with two anthers, rarely 3; much finer than primary laterals, compris- stamens elongate-globose, connective ing very numerous conspicuous darker forming a slightly impressed synconnec- pellucid veins, sometimes branching just tive ca. .75 mm diam.; thecae opening by after they exit the midrib; secondary and a tiny lateral slit. Infructescence not tertiary venation 6 invisible. Inflores- observed. 36 AROIDEANA, Vol. 37

Distribution—Homalomena stella is re- also Ng et al., 2011. Molecular analyses is stricted to the valleys of the Kanowit and wanting. Sarikei rivers, as far south as the Ai Other material examined: MALAYSIAN catchment along the border between Sri BORNEO. Sarawak. Sri Aman. Lubok Aman Division and Kapuas Hulu Regency, Antu, Batang Ai, Nanga Sumpa, Rumah Kalimantan Barat (Indonesian Borneo). Gumbang, Sungai Delok, 01u11940.80N Homalomena stella very likely also occurs 112u04904.20E, 28 July 2004, P.C.Boyce, in north eastern Kalimantan Barat, but as yet Jeland ak Kisai & Kachong AR-553 (SAR); there are no collections to confirm this. The Lubok Antu, Batang Ai, Nanga Sumpa, lower Rejang flows NW – SE through the Sungai Pedali, 01u11958.90N 112u03927.00E, northern part of this distributional area, 25 May 2008, P.C.Boyce et al. AR-2390 with the Sungai (river) Sarikei feeding into (SAR). Betong. Roban, Jalan Ulu , the Rejang at Sarikei, although as yet H. Sungai Kabo, Rumah Kih, 01u46938.80N stella is not recorded from the Rejang valley. 111u28925.10E, 27 Dec. 2011, P.C.Boyce & The valleys of the Kanowit and Sarikei Wong Sin Yeng AR-3734 (SAR). Sarikei. rivers are home to a number of endemic Sungai Lepong, 01u57912.90N 111u30934.90E, aroid taxa, including the genera Schot- 8 Dec. 2005, P.C.Boyce et al. AR-1602 (SAR); tarum P.C.Boyce & S.Y.Wong (Low et al., Sungai Lepong, 01u57914.00N 111u30935.20E, 2013) and Schottariella P. C. Boyce & S. Y. 27 Dec. 2012, P.C.Boyce & Wong Sin Yeng Wong, together with numerous unde- AR-4097 (SAR). scribed species of Ooia S. Y. Wong & P. C. Boyce, Homalomena Schott, and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Schismatoglottis Zoll. & Moritzi. This is part of an on-going research Ecology—Homalomena stella occurs as which is funded by the Ministry of Higher a rheophyte on steep shaded muddy river Education, Malaysia by the Exploratory banks in lowland moist to wet evergreen Research Grant Scheme Vote No. ERGS/ forest on deep soils, often (but not exclu- 01(02)/808/2011(03) and Fundamental Re- sively) associated with shales; 20–100 m asl. search Grant Scheme Vote No. FRGS/ STWN10(01)985/2013(26). Fieldwork was Etymology—From Latin, stella – a star – most recently under Sarawak Forestry in reference to the rosettes of narrowly Department Permission to Conduct Re- lanceolate leaves which viewed from search on Biological Resources - Permit above, somewhat whimsically, resemble a No. NCCD.907,4.4(J|d.9)-69 and Park Per- star-burst. mit No 140/2013. The collaboration and support of the Sarawak Forestry Depart- Notes—Although resembling H. vagans ment and the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre P.C.Boyce (1998) in rheophytic habit, it is are gratefully acknowledged. highly probable that Homalomena stella belongs to a group of otherwise lithophy- LITERATURE CITED tic or chasmophytic species allied to NW Sarawak H. havilandii Ridl., excluding H. Boyce, P. C. New species of Araceae from vagans, and characterized by pendent Brunei. Kew Bull. 49(4): 793–801. leaf blades lacking posterior lobes, with Boyce, P. C. & S. Y. Wong. 2008. Studies clearly visible pellucid primary lateral on Homalomeneae (Araceae) of Bor- veins on the abaxial surface, the spathes neo I: Four new species and specula- green externally and very pale green tion on informal species groups in internally, and notable for the spadix Sarawak. Gard. Bull. 60(1): elongating swiftly and projecting for- 1–29. wards from the spathe at pistillate anthe- Low, S. L., S. Y. Wong & P. C. Boyce. 2013. sis, and by the pistillate flowers each Schottarum (Schismatoglottideae: Ara- associated with a large staminode. See ceae) substantiated based on combined P. C. BOYCE, S. Y. WONG, 2014 37

nuclear and plastid DNA sequences. Studies on Homalomeneae (Araceae) Pl. Syst. Evol. DOI 10.1007s00606-013- of Borneo VIII: Delimitation of addi- 0906-7 tional informal suprageneric taxa for Ng, K. K. [et al. 2011], O. Ahmad Sofiman, Sundaic Homalomena. Webbia 66(1): P. C. Boyce & S. Y. Wong. 2011. 21–28.