Scaphochlamys polyphylla (K. Schum.) Burtt & Smith (1972: 315)

Hin, Ooi Im, Kalu, Meekiong & Yeng, Wong Sin, 2017, A review of Scaphochlamys (Zingiberaceae) from Borneo, with description of eleven new species, Phytotaxa 317 (4), pp. 231-279 : 274-276

23. Scaphochlamys polyphylla (K. Schum.) Burtt & Smith (1972: 315) . ≡ Haplochorema polyphyllum Schumann (1899: 332) . Type:—MALAYSIAN BORNEO. Sarawak: 1 st Division, Lundu, O. Beccari p.b. 2324 (holo FI!). = Gastrochilus bractescens Ridley (1910: 57) . ≡ Boesenbergia bractescens (Ridl.) Merrill (1921: 122) . Type:— MALAYSIAN BORNEO. Sarawak: 1st Division, Lundu, F.W. Foxworthy 42 (holo SING!).= Gastrochilus laxiflorum Valeton (1918: 100) . ≡ Boesenbergia laxiflora (Valeton) Loesener (1930: 572) . Type:—INDONESIAN BORNEO. Kalimantan: Monterado, Opi Mountains, J.E. Teijsmann 10916 (holo BO!, iso FI!), Figure 23

Terrestrial, perennial, small clumping rhizomatous herbs, to c. 35 cm tall. Rhizome creeping, consisting of short internodes of 0.5 cm. Elements indistinct, 2- to 6-foliates, tightly clumped together giving a tufted appearance to the plant; petiole 6–9cm long, thin, canaliculate, glabrous; leaf sheath 3–4 × 3–4 mm, broad, distinct; ligule bilobed, 1.5–2 mm long, membranous; lamina 7–15 × 2–3 cm, slightly asymmetric, linear to elliptic, base attenuate, apex acuminate and apiculate, adaxial surface dark green, abaxial surface pale green, sometimes flushed purple, pale green, glabrous to sparsely pubescent along the midrib; peduncle 2–5 cm long, generally glabrous, sometimes pubescent. Inflorescence 9 cm long, imbricate when young, becoming more lax (and glabrous) as rachis elongates with age; bract 8–12, 2–3 × 0.7 cm, stiff, linear with an inflexed base becoming open towards apex, margin thin, slightly crisped, sometimes tinged with purple, apex acute to mucronulate, sometimes purple, outer surface covered in long fine pubescent, glabrescent with age, each subtending c. 4 flowers; first bracteole 1–2 cm long, linear, glabrous, apex acute; flower calyx 9 mm long, cleft on one side; floral tube 12 mm long, corolla lobes 8–9 mm long; staminodes obtuse, 8 mm long; labellum 10 mm long, deeply bilobed; stamen thecae 7–8 mm long; crest shortly obtuse; ovary 2 mm long, glabrous. Fruit and seeds unknown.

Distribution and ecology: — West Sarawak ( Malaysia) to Kalimantan Barat ( Indonesia), occurring in kerangas forest, sandy soil with thick humus.

Additional specimens examined:— MALAYSIAN BORNEO. Sarawak: Kuching Division , Lundu, Lundu Road, 15 June 1991, Yahud et al. S. 61966 (SAR) ; Lundu , Setunggang, 130 m, 20 December 1995, J. Lai, Rantai et al. S. 54477 (SAR) ; Sematan , Gunung Pueh, 01°50’03.5”N, 109°40’35.4”E, 19 m, 13 April 2014, I.H. Ooi, S. Hyndman & T. Jepom OIH119 (SAR) ; Sri Aman Division , Engkramut Selepong Berangan, 20 m, 15 August 1991, P. Runi, J. Lai et al. S. 59662 (SAR) ; Engkramut , Selepong Berangan, 01°03’12.5”N, 111°21’14.3”E, 61 m, 30 December 2014, I.H. Ooi OIH289 (SAR) .

Conservation status:—Least Concern (LC). This species is common where it occurs and one of the populations at the type locality is within a protected area. The concerns remain for the populations in non-protected area and the land fragmentation in future.

Discussion:—This species is morphologically similar to S. malaccana from Peninsular Malaysia rather than other Bornean species by having laxly arranged inflorescences with persistent coriaceous bracts tightly incurved near base but flattened near apex. Scaphochlamys polyphylla is distinguished from S. samunsamensis by narrower c. 2–3 cm laminae with glabrous abaxial surface (not as broad c. 4.5 cm lamina with pubescent abaxial surface), and flowers with very mild foul odour (not strongly fragrant jasmine-like odour).This species is widespread and may represent a species complex. Overall, the plants from different localities are similar. However, individual plants from different populations may have several different characteristics, including the presence of red colouration (on petiole, lamina abaxial surface, peduncle and bracts), length of staminodes and floral odour. Species with colour variations are not uncommon in Scaphochlamys (e.g., as S. biloba , S. breviscapa and S. kunstleri ), and staminode length may vary even within the same population (Ooi pers obs.). The bracts of S. polyphylla initially clasping close together before the rachis elongating to result in a laxly arranged inflorescence. Thus, young inflorescences may seem different to the mature inflorescences ( Figure 23 B & D ). Differences in floral odour occur with the collections from Lundu producing a very mild foul smell while collections from Sri Aman produce not detectable smell.

Figures

FIGURE 23. Scaphochlamys polyphylla. A. plant in habitat. B. young inflorescence. C. inflorescence, top view. D. inflorescences, side view. E. inflorescence with flower. F. lamina, abaxial surface. G. flower, before fully opened.All from OIH83.