Pothos insignis Engl.

Wong, Sin Yeng & Joling, Jyloerica, 2021, Checklist of aroids (Alismatales, Araceae) from Sabah (Malaysian Borneo), Check List 17 (3), pp. 931-974 : 956

Pothos insignis Engl.

Figure 5D

Material examined. MALAYSIA – Pedalaman •

Keningau , Lian Cave; 05°29′30″N, 116°10′30″E; 5 June 1965; W. Meijer & John Kuripin SAN 51712 (K, L, SAN) • Nabawan , Maitland Range Area, Sungai Pingas-Pingas; 05°14′20″N, 116°40′32″E; 14 May 1986; Asik Man- tor SAN 113935 ( SAN) • Pandewan , Sungai Pementarian; 04°58′12″N, 116°25′24″E; 13 February 2019; Sumbing Jimpin SAN 119949 ( SAN) – Pantai Barat • Ranau , Bukit Ampuan, hillside; [06°01′18″N, 116°39′59″E]; 792 m elev.; 20 November 1973; L. Madani SAN 89395 ( SAN) • Ranau , Kinabalu; [06°04′22″N, 116°33′29″E]; 1371.6 m (4500 ft.) elev.; 16 August 1963; G. Mikil SAN 38668 ( SAN) • Ranau , Poring, Sungai Kipungit; 06°02′53′′, 116°42′06′′E; 457.2 m (1500 ft.) elev.; 3 October 1987; W. Meijer SAN 122512 ( SAN) – Sandakan • Kinabatangan , Tabin Wildlife Reserve, northern part near Tabin River; 05°19′N, 118°45′E; 19 October 2000; 180 m elev.; A. D. Poulsen 1678 ( AAU, BORH, K, KEP, L, SAN, SING) • Sandakan , Gomantong Forest Reserve, Dulong Lambu; 05°33′30″N, 118°06′30″E; 100 m elev.; 28 April 1996; S.P. Lim 584 ( SAN) • Sandakan , Ulu Dusun, Mile 30; [05°47′06″N, 117°46′14″E]; 15.24 (50 ft.) elev.; 18 August 1977; S. Lantoh SAN 87859 ( KEP, SAN, SAR) .

Identification. Pothos insignis is apparently allied to P. rumphii Schott and P. borneensis Furt. in having long petioles with a petiolar sheath extending to the base of the geniculum, a relatively large, leathery spathe and robust tepals. Pothos insignis is distinguished from P. rumphii and P. borneensis by the manner in which the inflorescences are presented. In P. insignis new fertile stems arise from leafess, post fertile stems. The new fertile stems are clothed along their entire length by inflated cataphylls each consisting of a greatly enlarged petiolar sheath terminated by a much-reduced leaf blade. From the apex of each fertile stem emerge the inflorescences, one at a time, each new inflorescence emerging as the previous one begins to fruit. It is unclear how many inflorescences a fertile stem produces before it dies, but a study of the scarring of post fertile stems suggest that it may be as many as 12 ( Boyce and Poulsen 1993).

Distribution and ecology. Northwestern, southwestern, and northeastern Sabah. Lianescent, hemi-epiphytic or lithophytic trunk or treelet climber at base of ridges or near rivers in primary to disturbed primary mixed dipterocarp forest on shales or limestone, at 10–1200 m elev.