Ant rattan
Korthalsia ferox
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A climbing rattan. It grows in clusters and is branched. The stems climb into trees and are 2 cm across. The internodes are 30 cm apart. The leaves are 2.5 m long with a tendril at the end that is 1 m long. The sheaths have spines. The leaves have 6-8 leaflets on each side. The flowering shoot is 50 cm long. The fruit are curled and have 15 rows or reddish scales.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in Sabah in Borneo. It grows in lowland and hill dipterocarp forests up to 800 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Indochina, Malaysia, SE Asia, Vietnam
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Pith, shoots
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Its other names
Local names
Rotan semut, Wei ser