AMORPHOPHALLUS HOTTAE
PROTOLOGUE: Amorphophallus hottae Bogner & Hett., published in Blumea 36: 470 (1992).
Tuber depresso-globosum. Foliola plerumque brevipetiolata, nunquam in rhachidi decurrentia. Spathae tubus convolutus, longus, limbus angustus, basi intus papillatus. Spadix spatha multolongior, appendice gracillima erecta. Pistillum lageniforme, stigma trilobatum lobis conicis. —
Type: Kokawa & Hotta 2527 (KYO, holo; iso at K), Malaysia, Sabah, Tenom, along Sungai Malatut, about 15 km north of Tenom, alt. 300-450 m, Dec. 22, 1968.
DISTRIBUTION: Borneo (Sabah, Sarawak): Borneo, Sabah, Sarawak.
DISTRIBUTION NOTE: Besides the type collection, also Bum & Woods 2244 (E), Sarawak, 4th Div., Gunung Mulu National Park, 4° 5′ N, 114° 50′ E, Melinan Gorge pathway, pockets of limestone, 23 June 1962, “Red purple spathe and dull, somewhat paler appendix.”.
SPECIES DESCRIPTION:
Tuber depressed-globose, 2.0–3.5 cm in diam., c. 2 cm deep (in sicco!), brown. Leaf preceded by cataphylls, up to 30 cm long. Petiole 40–45 cm long, at base 0.4–0.5 cm in diam., above 0.25–0.3 cm in diam.; leaf-blade divided into three main parts; leaflets nearly sessile to shortly petiolulate, never decurrent, base cuneate, always oblique, 6–15 cm long and 2.5–6 cm wide, apex acuminate, acumen 1.5–2 cm long, main vein strong, 6–10 primary lateral veins on each side, collective vein 2–4 mm distant from the margin.
INFLORESCENCE:
Inflorescence very slender. Cataphylls 4, 1–23 cm long. Peduncle 17–36 cm long, at base 0.4 cm in diam., above 0.2–0.3 cm in diam. Spathe narrow, 7.5–12 cm long, 0.7–1.0 cm wide, base convolute for 3.5–5 cm of its length, forming a long tube, limb erect, apex acute, base papillate within. Spadix slender, 19–21 cm long; female part 0.5–1.0 cm long and c. 0.35 cm in diam., flowers not very densely arranged, styles and stigmas pointing upwards; male part 2.5–3.0 cm long and c. 0.35 cm in diam., flowers congested; appendix slender, elongate, c. 17 cm long, at base 0.2–0.35 cm in diam.
Pistils lageniform, 2.2–2.5 mm long, ovary 0.8–1.4 mm in diam., unilocular, ovule basal; style 0.8–1.0 mm long, narrowing towards the stigma, stigma 0.6–0.9 mm in diam., 3-lobed, lobes conic. Male flowers consisting of 1 or 2(3) stamens; stamens 1.0–1.1 mm long and 0.5–0.7 mm broad, relatively flat, pores very broadly elliptic. Pollen grains inaperturate, ellipsoid, 40 × 34 μm, exine striate-reticulate.
Infructescence c. 2 cm long, with remains of the dried spathe. Berries 1-seeded, ellipsoid, 0.9–1.0 cm long and 0.6–0.7 cm in diameter, with the old style and stigma persisting. Seeds ellipsoid, c. 0.8 × 0.6 cm, testa smooth.
ECOLOGY:
Found on pockets of limestone
ETYMOLOGY:
Named in honor of Dr. Mitsuru Hotta, Japanese botanist and prominent researcher of Araceae whose work contributed substantially to the understanding of tropical Asian aroids. The Latinized epithet hottae means “of Hotta” or “Hotta’s.
NOTES:
1. The species is unique for its very narrow spathe combined with a very long, exserted, thin spadix. In Leiden a specimen exists with the type number which consists of an infructescence and a leaf carrying an intercalary bulbil in its centre. This type of bulbil is different from that in Amorphophallus bulbifer (Sims) Blume, in which the bulbil is clearly epiphyllar. The bulbil in the specimen at Leiden consists of the entire swollen petiole joint where the three main leaf-divisions part. Until living plants have been studied, it remains uncertain whether this specimen actually belongs to Amorphophallus hottae.
2. Similar bulbils are found in Amorphophallus sparsiflorus Ridley (Malaysia), Amorphophallus coaetaneus Liu & Wei (China), Amorphophallus hirsutus Teijsm. & Binnend. (Indonesia), and an as yet unidentified species from Sandakan (Malaysia), which is cultivated by the second author and has already regenerated from this petiole-part after separation by abscission from the rotting remains of the old leaf when the plant goes dormant.
REFERENCES:
1. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Amorphophallus hottae Bogner & Hett.
2. Blumea 36: 470 (1992) — protologue.
3. Alan Galloway — Amorphophallus hottae, alangallowaybotanicals.com.