Black book rattan
Calamus palustris

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A large climbing rattan or cane. It climbs to 30 m high. The canes can be 2 cm across. The internodes are 30 cm apart. The sheaths have scattered brown-yellow spines. The leaves are 2.5 m long and have a curved tendril 80 cm long at the end. The leaflets are arranged regularly with 60 on each side. They are narrow. The flowering shoots emerge from the mouth of the sheath. The fruit are oval and 6-8 mm across. They have 18 vertical rows of scales.

There are 375-400 Calamus species. There are 175 species in tropical Asia.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in semi-dense forest. In Laos it grows between 100-650 m altitude and in Thailand it grows up to 1,300 m altitude. It grows in secondary forests on limestone.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nicobar, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit, shoots

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. They can also be grown from suckers.

Its other names

Local names

Pdao chvang, Phdau chhveang, Rotam buku hitam, Wai hangnou, Wai khairt, Wai kiyow, Ya-ma-htar-kyein

Synonyms

Calamus kerrianus Becc.; Calamus loeiensis Hodel; Calamus palustris var. amplissimus Becc.; Calamus palustris var. cochinchinensis Becc.; Calamus palustris var. palustris Palmijuncus palustris (Griff.) Kuntze;