Iguanura minor Kiew (1976: 209)

Henderson, Andrew, 2025, A revision of Iguanura (Arecaceae, Arecoideae, Areceae), Phytotaxa 690 (2), pp. 135-188 : 166-167

18. Iguanura minor Kiew (1976: 209) . Type:— MALAYSIA. Sarawak, G. Pueh, no date, F. Foxworthy 242 (holotype FI!).

Stems length not recorded, 0.9(0.7–1.1) cm diameter, solitary or clustered. Leaf sheaths 11.6(10.5–14.0) cm long, tubular, mostly closed opposite the petiole, cleanly falling, covered with a thin layer of indumentum; ocreas well-developed, separating early into fibers and disintegrating; petioles 7.5(3.5–12.0) cm long; rachises 39.0(34.0–47.0) cm long; leaf blades divided or undivided, not rounded at the apex, with a deep split; leaf veins parallel; adaxial leaf veins prominent, rectangular in cross-section; pinnae 4(1–6) per side of rachis; middle pinna 21.7(19.5–25.5) cm long, 2.3(1.3–4.0) cm wide. Inflorescences spicate; prophylls and peduncular bracts inserted some distance apart, more or less persistent; peduncles length not recorded, not wooly tomentose; rachises absent; rachillae 1, 18.8(14.0–26.0) cm long, 2.2(1.5–2.8) mm diameter, proximal part of rachillae with markedly distantly spaced triads, glabrous or sparsely to densely tomentose, not filiform with triads sunken in shallow, more or less closely spaced pits; rachilla bracts not elongate; distal triad bracteoles well-developed; distal part of flower pits glabrous; staminate flowers 2.0– 2.5 mm long with blunt apices; anther margins undulate; fruits 12.5 mm long, 6.8 mm diameter, ellipsoid, ridged, the surfaces drying pebbled, yellow; endocarp circular in cross-section; endosperm not recorded.

Distribution and habitat:— Malaysia ( Sarawak) on Gunung Pueh and Gunung Gading in hill Dipterocarp forest, lower montane forest, kerangas forest, or sub-montane forest at 1,034(650–1,370) m elevation (Fig. 11).

Taxonomic notes:— Preliminary species Iguanura minor was polymorphic for three variables (stem branching, leaf division, rachillae tomentum). These were treated as traits, and then it had a unique combination of character states and is recognized as a phylogenetic species. It is characterized by its tubular leaf sheaths, proximal part of rachillae with distantly spaced triads, pebbled fruits, and endocarp circular in cross-section. It also comes from a high elevation habitat.

Kiew (1976) considered that I. minor was closely related to I. wallichiana but this does not appear to be the case. Kiew stated that the fruits were not ridged but the fruits of J. Dransfield 6002 are clearly ridged, and those of F. Foxyworthy 242 appear ridged, even though they are immature.