Mapania sumatrana (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Mapania sumatrana (Hassk. ex Steud.) F.Vill.
- Family: Cyperaceae
Synonyms
Hypolytrum pandanophyllum F. Muell., Lepironia sumatrana Miq., Mapania heyneana Back., Thoracostachyum hypolytroides (F. Muell. ex Benth.) C.B. Clarke, T. sumatranum (Miq.) Kurz.
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: rumbai lilin, rumbai ijo (Palembang), selingsing (Lampung)
- Malaysia: umbai, rumput pandan biru (Peninsular).
Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea, northern Australia and western Caroline Islands. In Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia sometimes cultivated.
Uses
In Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra the leaves are made into mats. In Australia the leaves are a favourite nesting material for salt-water crocodiles.
Observations
A perennial, robust to very robust herb, up to 2.5 m tall, with long-creeping stolons or short rhizomes. Stem erect, arising from the centre of a basal tuft of normal leaves, trigonous to subtriquetrous, 25-200 cm × 2-10 mm, smooth, green. Leaves longer than the stems, basal, equitant, in 3 rows, subcoriaceous, distinctly reticulate when dry; blade linear, up to 2.2 m × 3.8 cm, base gradually narrowed into sheath, margins serrulate, apex acuminate, 3-veined. Involucral bracts 2-3, long, leaf-like; inflorescence paniculate, terminal, globose to ovoid, 3-20 cm in diameter, composed of 4-12 or more long primary branches, each subtending 1-12 secondary branches bearing 1-several sessile or shortly pedunculate, ovoid to subglobose, many-flowered spikelets 5-10 mm in diameter; flowers bisexual, about 3 mm long, stamens 3, stigmas 3. Fruit a nut, broadly obovoid, about 3 mm × 2 mm, apex abruptly narrowed into a beak, obtusely 3-5-angled, grey-brown. M. sumatrana has been subdivided into 2 subspecies based on differences in the size and branching pattern of the inflorescence:
- subsp. sumatrana (synonyms: Lepironia sumatrana , Thoracostachyum hypolytroides , T. sumatranum ): primary branches 0.5-1.5 cm long, bearing 1-4(-6) sessile or shortly pedunculate spikelets; distributed only in Sumatra, Java and Borneo;
- subsp. pandanophylla (F. Muell.) D.A. Simpson (synonyms: Hypolytrum pandanophyllum , Mapania heyneana ): primary branches 2.5-13 cm long, each subtending up to 12 secondary branches bearing clusters of 2 or more sessile or shortly pedunculate spikelets; more widely distributed as the species, but not in Java and Sumatra.
M. sumatrana is found in swamps, marshy areas which are periodically flooded, and margins of peat swamp forest, at low altitudes. It is cultivated in swamps and inundated fields. In Java it flowers throughout the year. Harvested leaves are exposed to the sun at daytime and to dew at nighttime, for a period of 2-3 days. Subsequently they are cut into strips and dried further, resulting in beautiful and supple material for weaving mats, which however are less durable than those made from Pandanus leaves.
Selected sources
6, 20, 47, 66, 71, 156, 158.
Authors
M. Brink, P.C.M. Jansen & C.H. Bosch
