Homalomena portae-inferni S.Y.Wong, J.Joling & P.C.Boyce

Wong, Sin Yeng & Joling, Jyloerica, 2021, Checklist of aroids (Alismatales, Araceae) from Sabah (Malaysian Borneo), Check List 17 (3), pp. 931-974 : 951

Homalomena portae-inferni S.Y.Wong, J.Joling & P.C.Boyce

Figure 4E

Material examined. MALAYSIA – Tawau • Tawau Hills Park, trail to Hot Springs ; 28 Nov 1998; J. T. Periera, L. Madani, V. L. Pung, Ubaldus M., Salamat A. J.T.P. 572 (holo SAR, iso K, KEP, L)

Identification. Homalomena portae-inferni is most similar to H. kionsomensis , differing by pistillate florets in two rows (vs. three to four rows), pistils without glands (vs. pistils with minute red glands), with the associated staminode oblong and pale green (vs. staminode almost globose on a very short hair-like stipe, and pale yellow), stigma ca. 1 mm in diam. (vs. 0.5 mm), and staminate flo- rets pale green (vs. cream) ( Wong et al. 2020a).

Distribution and ecology. Endemic to Sabah. Known only from the type locality at Tawau Hills Park, trail to Hot Springs. Forms large patches or occurs as smaller plants on moss-covered peat domes under Shorea argentifolia and Tristaniopsis -dominated lowland kerangas on Pleistocene volcanics, with elevation between 200 and 320 m elev.