A preliminary survey of Aroids (Family Araceae) in Maliau Basin, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

Fourteen Aroids genera (Family Araceae) were collected during a fi eld expedition to Maliau Basin from 11 to 15 March 2005. The genera are Aglaonema (A. nitidum); Alocasia (A. cuprea, A. longiloba, A. princeps, A. macrorrhiza, A. scabriuscula); Amorphophallus (A. sp.); Amydrium (A. medium); Anadendrum (A. montanum); Colocasia (C. esculenta, C. oresbia); Homalomena (H. humilis, H. sp.1, H. sp.2); Aridarum (A. nicolsonii); Bucephalandra (B. motleyana); Epipremnum (Epipremnum giganteum); Pothos (Pothos sp.); Rhaphidophora (R. korthalsii); Schismatoglottis (S. calyptrata, S. viridissima, Schismatoglottis sp.) and Scindapsus (S. pictus). The most dominant genera found are Homalomena and Schismatoglottis. Most of the species, except Amorphophallus sp., were generally widely distributed along undisturbed riverbanks. It is generally concluded that most of aroids are found in wet areas particularly along river banks.