4. Epipremnum moluccanum Schott
Epipremnum mollucanum Schott, Ann. Mus. Bot.
Lugd.-Bat. 1: 130 (1863). -- [Dracontium moluccanum Zipp.
ex Schott Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat. 1: 130 (1863), nom. superfl.].
--Type: Indonesia, Maluku, Pulau Ambon, Zippelius 59d (L holo).
Large root-climber. Adult plant with stem c. 7 mm diam., epidermis
minutely asperous, internodes c. 3.5 cm long, separated by prominent
leaf scars furnished with a narrow collar of sheath tissue. Foraging
shoots occurring (fide Zippelius ex Schott, 1863: 130). Cataphylls
and prophylls soon drying and falling. Petiole 18--21 cm x 7--10
mm, canaliculate, smooth, air-drying pale brown; apical geniculum
rather prominent, 7--10 x 3--4 mm, basal geniculum 3.5 x 1 cm, both
genicula drying shrunken to less than petiole diameter; petiolar
sheath very prominent, extending to the along the adaxial surface
of the geniculum and ± merging with lamina margins, margins
somewhat ragged, base of sheath ± enclosing the stem. Lamina
21.5--24 x 10.2--10.5, entire, elliptic to slightly oblique-elliptic,
apex acute to slightly attenuate, base acute to sub-obtuse, briefly
decurrent, air-drying mid-brown; primary lateral veins simple, 6--9
per side, c. 2 cm distant, diverging from midrib at c. 45°,
barely differentiated from interprimary veins, interprimary veins
remaining parallel to primary veins, all higher order venation tesellate,
but barely visible in dried material; midrib moderately impressed
above, prominently raised beneath, lower order venation flush or
nearly so above and beneath in fresh material but raised and rather
conspicuous in dried specimens. Inflorescence solitary, subtended
by a fully developed foliage leaf with a much expanded petiolar
sheath. Peduncle 4.3 x 5 mm, sub-terete, epidermis slightly rough.
Spathe canoe-shaped, exterior and interior dull yellow. Spadix stipitate,
fertile portion cylindrical, apex rounded, obliquely inserted on
stipe; stipe 10 x 6 mm, obliquely inserted on peduncle. Flowers
2--2.5 mm diam.; stamens 4; filaments 5 x 1 mm; anthers narrowly
ovoid, 3--5 x 0.75--1 mm; ovary 7--9 x 2.5--4 mm, cylindrical, basal
part laterally compressed; ovules 2; stylar region c. 2.2 x 2 mm,
trapezoid in air-dried post-anthesis material, somewhat feeble,
apex flattened, margins slightly raised in dry material; stigma
elongate-globose, c. 1.5 mm x 0.5, circumferential, very slightly
prominent. Fruit green, stylar region somewhat feeble.
Distribution - Indonesia (Maluku).
Habitat - Unclear. In montanis supra arbores
fide Schott.
Note - Known only from the type gathering, E. moluccanum
is a distinctive species with broad elliptic leaf laminae and a
stipitate spadix. While the leaf shape is unique, the character
of a stipitate spadix is shared with E. papuanum Alderw.
(New Guinea).
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