Studies on Potheae of Borneo I: Pothos pugnax, a new species of Pothos [Allopothos: Pothos barberianus group] from Kuching Division, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo

ABSTRACT

Pothos pugnax is described and illustrated as a new species [Allopothos supergroup: Pothos barberianus group] from ridgetop kerangas in Kuching Division, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Comparison is made with Pothos atropurpurascens the only closely similar species occurring on Borneo, and also between the confoundable shingling stages of P. pugnax and the parapatric but distantly related Pothos beccarianus [Goniurus supergroup].

KEYWORDS:

• Borneo
• Araceae
• Pothos
• Potheae
• kerangas

Acknowledgements

Fieldwork was most recently under Sarawak Forestry Department Permission to Conduct Research on Biological Resources – Permit No. NPW.907.4.4(JLD.14)-159 and Park Permit No. WL822017. The collaboration and support of the Sarawak Forestry Department and the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre are gratefully acknowledged. The second author extends his thanks to Tan Sri Datuk Amar Leonard Linggi Anak Jugah and Malesiana Tropicals Sdn Bhd for continued support and encouragement.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This is part of an on-going research project funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia by the Exploratory Research Grant Scheme [Vote No. NRGS/1089/2013-(03)].