Korthalsia echinometra

Description

Moderately robust clustering and branching rattan climbing to 40 m. Stem without sheaths to 2 cm diam., with sheaths to 3 cm. diam., internodes rather short to 12 cm. Sheaths bright green, sparsely armed, almost completely covered by the ocreas; ocrea to 10 × 5 cm, grossly swollen, densely covered with long black spines to 6 cm long; ants abundant within the ocreas. Leaf to 1.8 m including the cirrus to 70 cm and petiole to 10 cm or more. Leaflets numerous, c. 25 on each side of the rachis, narrowly elongate, to 30 × 3 cm, dark green on the upper surface, chalky- white beneath, praemorse only in the distalmost 3-6 cm. Inflorescences to c. 60 cm long, with up to 15 rachillae in each; rachillae to 20 × 1.5 cm, reddish-brown tomentose. Mature fruit ovoid, 2.5 × 1.5 cm, covered in 18-21 vertical rows of reddish- brown scales. Seed to 15 × 10 mm; endosperm ruminate. Seedling leaf bifid with narrow leaflets.