PAPUA – The island of New Guinea (Papua and Papua New Guinea), according to scientific research, has the highest number of flora and the highest level of endemism in the world, especially vascular plants.
It was recorded that there were 13,634 plant species belonging to 1,742 genus and 264 families on this island in 2020 based on the publication of Camara-Leret et al in the Nature journal.
The development of research and scientific publications in the last two years has shown that there has been an increase in the number of new species from the island of New Guinea, including eight new types of kipas palm of the Licuala genus (Arecaceae) which were just published in the middle of 2022.
Therefore, the plant experts predict that there will be an increase in the number of new species, around 3000–4000 species, in the next 50 years, especially from Papua which is still not widely explored.
New Species of Kipas Palm
The Arecaceae palms are the second most beneficial plant family in the world after the grass families, especially in Papua.
Call it sago, coconut, nibung, palm oil, rattan, and nipa which are always used in both modern and traditional life.
Of the 34 palm genus in New Guinea and the islands, the Licuala genus has the second highest number of species after the Calamus or rattan which has 64 species.
With the discovery and description of these eight new kipas palm species, the total number is 25 species (including 2 sub-species).
The eight new species of kipas palm were published in two publications in different scientific journals.
The seven new species were published in the Journal of Phytotaxa volume 555 pages 1–16 dated July 19, 2022 by Dr. Anders Barfod from the Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark, and Prof. Dr. Charlie D. Heatubun from the Regional Research and Innovation Agency (BRIDA) of West Papua Province and the Faculty of Forestry, University of Papua, Manokwari, West Papua.
The seven new species, along with the names of their scientific authorities, are Licuala bakerii Barfod & Heatubun, Licuala bankae Barfod & Heatubun, Licuala coccinisedes Barfod & Heatubun, Licuala essigii Barfod & Heatubun, Licuala multibracteata & Heatubun, Licuala sandsiana Barfod & Heatubun, and Licuala sandsiana Barfod & Heatubun.
Meanwhile, one species, Licuala heatubunii Barfod & W.J. Baker, was published in the Journal of Palms volume 66 pages 69-71 of the June 2022 issue written by Dr. Anders Barfod from the Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark, and Dr. William J. Baker of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England.
In both publications, the findings are described as the result of extensive research in the field and in the herbarium.
Most of the new kipas palm species are found in Papua New Guinea regions. They are Milne Bay, Sepik River, Bewani Mountains, Brown River and Manus Island.
In Papua, it is found in the Wondama area, West Papua Province, and in Ayapo Village, Sentani, Jayapura, Papua Province.
At first glance, the kipas palm of the Licuala genus has a stature in the form of a shrub, with the height about 2–5 meters high and a trunk diameter of 7 cm or more.
Usually, this plant grows in clumps or single (solitary). Most grows in the lowlands to mountainous areas in tropical rain forests.
It is also seen to prefer growing under the shade or forest canopy (understorey). Thus, this genus can only survive in a good forest ecosystem.
Therefore, this palm uses forest trees as shade. Deforestation or forest conversion is a serious threat to this plant.
With a fan-shaped arrangement of leaves and height that is relatively short, this group of palms is widely traded as ornamental plants.
Credit to Professor Charlie D. Heatubun
In particular, in the discovery and publication of this new Licuala species, there is something special.
It is that one of the new Licuala species found in Ayapo Village, Sentani, Papua Province is given the name Licuala heatubunii.
The naming of the species or the eponym heatubunii is an award given by the two authors as the scientific naming authority (Dr. Anders Barfod and Dr. William J. Baker) for the outstanding contributions that have been made to the development of plant science and research, especially the palm genus in New Guinea.
Professor Charlie D. Heatubun currently serves as Head of the Regional Research and Innovation Agency of West Papua Province (formerly the Regional Research and Development Agency) and senior teaching staff at the Faculty of Forestry, University of Papua, as well as honorary research staff at the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, London, English.
With the publication of these seven new species of Licuala, he has added to his record of professional performance as a plant taxonomist since the year of 2000 who has described three new genera (Manjekia, Jailoloa, and Wallaceodoxa) and 45 new species, and contributed to one new genus (Dransfieldia) and 10 new plants species.
In a statement, Professor Heatubun said that he was very honored to receive the eponymous award.
“I’m just trying to do my best, sincerely in order to reveal the biodiversity of plants in the Land of Papua and Indonesia. As for awards and recognition, it will come naturally,” he said.
“Is this the promise once expressed in the wise words of the great evangelist I. S. Kijne, that “he who labors diligently and is heard upon this land will walk from one sign of wonder to another.”
“That eponym is very extraordinary because it makes us live everlasting, even though later we are no longer in this world, as long as this world still exists and this species still exists, our names will continue to be called and remembered,” continued Heatubun.
“The discovery of eight new species of kipas palm is important, because it conveys two things, that the richness of flora species in New Guinea, and especially in Papua, is something real and not just an estimate,” he continued.
“The results of the research and species discoveries in urban areas, for example in Ayapo, Sentani and Wondama villages, show that we don’t really know much about the biodiversity around us.”
“This is a good opportunity for students and other young people in Papua to do not hesitate to do research on our biodiversity, and you have the opportunity to become experts in the future if you are serious in pursuing it,” he concluded.
Of course, this activity has not been completed. After being researched and published, conservation efforts and sustainable use are needed in order to realize Sustainable Development in the Land of Papua.
This is the second eponym. The previous one was given the name of a new species of rattan from the Calamus-Calamus heatubunii genus W.J.Baker & J.Dransf published in 2017 based on rattan originating from Sorong and Waigeo Island, Raja Ampat.
