DIVERSITY OF PALMS IN DERED KRIAN NATIONAL PARK

Abstract

Palms are belonging to the family Arecaceae and are distinguished by their large, compound, evergreen leaves. The growth habit of palms is usually a straight, unbranched stem, and rarely a dichotomous branching stem or a creeping vine-like habit (liana). They either grow solitary or clustered with two types of life-history cycle: hepaxanthic habit or pleonanthic habit. Palms thrive in any different habitat restricted to the tropical and subtropical area. Their diversity is highest in wet lowland forest. Arecaceae family is divided into five subfamilies containing 202 genera and approximately 2600 species throughout the world. There are 28 genera recorded in Borneo. The palms flora from the limestone areas, particular in Sarawak, however, receives less attention from botanists. Therefore, the aim of this project is to provide a preliminary checklist of palms from the limestone areas of Dered Krian National Park. Surveys were conducted in ten selected established trails in the Dered Krian National Park and occurrences of palms along the trails were recorded and collected (only for the fertile plants). A total of 17 species representing of nine genera of palms were recorded during the surveys. Calamus with six species recorded were the most predominance followed by Daeomonorops and Pinanga with four and three species recorded respectively.

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Suggestion for Reference citation:
Syauqina, M.Y., Meekiong, K., Aimi Syazana, S. & Miraadila, M.I. 2017. Diversity of Palms in Dered Krian National Park,
Bau. In: Forest Department Sarawak & Faculty of Resource Science and Technology (UNIMAS). [Meekiong, K.,
Azahari, O., Pungga, R.S., Wasli, M.E., Freddy, Y.K.S. & Marconi, S.J., (eds.)]. Proceedings of Colloquium on the
Dered Krian National Park – Scientific Expedition 2016. Kuching, Sarawak. 15 – 19.

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DIVERSITY OF PALMS IN DERED KRIAN NATIONAL PARK, BAU
Syauqina, M. Y., Meekiong, K., Aimi Syazana, S. & Miraadila, M. I.
Faculty of Resource Science and Technology
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak
Corresponding author: syauqinamy@gmail.com
Abstract
Palms are belonging to the family Arecaceae and are distinguished by their large,
compound, evergreen leaves. The growth habit of palms is usually a straight,
unbranched stem, and rarely a dichotomous branching stem or a creeping vine-like
habit (liana). They either grow solitary or clustered with two types of life-history
cycle: hepaxanthic habit or pleonanthic habit. Palms thrive in any different habitat
restricted to the tropical and subtropical area. Their diversity is highest in wet
lowland forest. Arecaceae family is divided into five subfamilies containing 202
genera and approximately 2600 species throughout the world. There are 28 genera
recorded in Borneo. The palms flora from the limestone areas, particular in
Sarawak, however, receives less attention from botanists. Therefore, the aim of this
project is to provide a preliminary checklist of palms from the limestone areas of
Dered Krian National Park. Surveys were conducted in ten selected established
trails in the Dered Krian National Park and occurrences of palms along the trails
were recorded and collected (only for the fertile plants). A total of 17 species
representing of nine genera of palms were recorded during the surveys. Calamus
with six species recorded were the most predominance followed by Daeomonorops
and Pinanga with four and three species recorded respectively.
Keywords: Palms, Arecaceae, Dered Kerian National Park, Bau, Sarawak,
Iguanura, Calamus
Introduction
Arecaceae has been divided into five sub-families for taxonomic managerial, which
these subfamilies names are based on the genus originally thought to be the most
predominant characteristic of each family (Johnson, 1998) and those sub-family are
Arecoideae (betel nut palm), Calamoideae (rattan), Ceroxyloideae (Andean wax palm),
Coryphoideae (the talipod palm) and Nypoideae (nipa palm). This family is widely
distributed throughout tropics and best grow in warm humid regions (Corner, 1966) in USDA
Zones 8 – 10 (10oF – 40oF). They can thrive through critical climate from desert to the
rainforest. Palms have been widely used as palaeo-indicators for warm and humid climates
(Morley, 2003).

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A total of 202 genera with approximately 2600 species were estimated throughout the world.
About 25% (58 genera) of the total genera are found in Malaysia. Since the last account by
Whitmore (1998), the information of palms in Peninsular Malaysia has never been updated.
While for Borneo, 28 genera were recorded in Kubah National Park alone and thus make this
park considered as the richest spot for palms taxa in the world (Christenhusz & Bying, 2016:
Dransfield & Uhl, 2008).
The palm has two habit mechanisms, which are pleonanthic and hepaxanthic habit
(Dransfield, 2008). Pleonanthic habit is where the palm is continuing to grow vegetative and
to produce inflorescences simultaneously while hepaxanthic flowers only once in their
lifetime and die subsequently. Most palms are in pleonanthic habit. Only 16 genera from
Arecaceae family are a hepaxanthic habit.
Materials and Methods
A complete plant of palms (with fruit and flower or either one) were collected using
cutter, gloves (to avoid sharp thorns of Calamus or salacca) and pocket-knife. Fruits and
flowers are important reproductive parts for identification to the lower taxa. Data was
recorded for collected palm and also sighted palms along the trails (Seromah 3, Seromah 4,
Simpang Kuda, Krian, Juwita and Tabai). Larger palm such as Caryota which was unable to
be collected was recorded as sighted and photographed.
Results and Discussion
Three out of five sub-families in Arecaceae were recorded during the expedition.
Iguanura elegans from Arecoideae sub-family was the most common palms recorded in the
Dered Krian National Park, as this species was recorded in all surveyed trails. The species
produced two different colours of fruit in different individual plant and two types of leaf
shape (these characteristics might lead to erroneous of identification). Field observations
recorded that the plants with entire pinnate leaves usually produce white fruits while the
plants with scattered leaves produce reddish-pink fruits.
Another interesting palm from this sub-family was Pinanga. Three Pinanga species were
recorded during the expedition. Pinanga chaiana and P. crassipes were found scattered along
the Seromah trail. While Pinanga jambusana, a potential ornamental palm with bluish fruits

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was recorded from Simpang Kuda Trail, not far from the type locality of the species. All the
Pinanga species that were recorded has attractive fruit colour and beautiful leaves.
Table 1: List of subfamilies and species collected and sighted in Dered Krian National Park (DKNP).
Sub-family
Species
Vernacular name
Arecoideae
Areca minuta Scheff.
Arenga pinnata Merr.
Aping
Iguanura elegans Becc.
Nenga pumilla (Blume) H. Wendl.
Pinang Nenga / Pinang Gajah
Pinanga chaiana J. Dransf.
Pinanga crasipes Becc.
Pinang Muring
Pinanga jambusana C.K. Lim
Calamoideae
Calamus hepburnii J. Dransf.
Rotan
Calamus javensis
Rotan
Calamus laevigatus Mart.
Rotan lio
Calamus passpalanthus Becc.
Rotan tingkas
Calamus sabalensis J. Dransf.
Rotan
Calamus sp.1
Rotan
Calamus sp.2
Rotan
Ceratholobus sp
Rotan
Daemonorops formicaria J. Dransf.
Rotan
Daemonorops korthalsii Bl.
Rotan
Daemonorops sabut
Daemonorops sp
Rotan
Korthalsia grandis
Rotan
Korthalsia rostrata
Rotan
Korthalsia scaphigera
Rotan
Salacca sp.
Salak
Coryphoideae
Caryota sp.
Palma Ekor Ikan
Licuala mattanensis Becc.
Pokok kipas
Arenga pinnata is the tallest palm that we noted in the DKNP. This palm can reach up to 15-
20m in height with a trunk diameter of about 30–40 cm. In contrast, the genus Areca, e.g.
Areca minuta was the smallest palm in the area with pencil-thin stems as described by
Dransfield (2008).
Genera from sub-family Calamoideae were the most abundant in DKNP and were found in
all surveyed trails. Genus Calamus, Daemonorops and Korthalsia were the most predominant
palms recorded. For example, Daemonorops formicaria, a Bornean endemic species was
recorded as common along the Seromah trail. According to Dransfield (1997), the fruits of
this species are edible and the stem has good qualities for making cane and basket.

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The member of Coryphoideae family, Licuala mattanensis or fan palm prefers rich but well-
drained soil that is slightly acidic; Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b (34oF to 40oF) (Dransfield &
Uhl, 2008). A medium size of Caryota species that we have found might be Caryota
monostachya or probably other taxa (cannot be confirmed the status as we unable to collect
complete materials). The members of this genus are often found on limestone soils up to 1400
elevation (Andrew, 1950).
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank the organizers of Dered Krian National Park Scientific
Expedition 2016, the Forest Department Sarawak and Faculty of Resource Science and
Technology, UNIMAS, for giving us the opportunity to join the expedition and for providing
the accommodations and facilities. Special thanks to our colleagues, Nurul Amanina Md
Raub, Nurul Izzati Azman, Nor Azieya Baharuddin, Radiana Ramli and Mohd Syawal
Luqman, who helps in the field, also thanks to Yazid Kalbi and research team from Universiti
Sains Malaysia (USM) for botanical discussion and inputs.
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