Calamus deerratus

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A palm or rattan. It is spiny and climbs 30 m high. The internodes are 15-20 cm long. The leaves have spines 1-5 cm long. The stem has long threads 2 m long with hooks.

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

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows to the top of forest trees in wet forest in West Africa. It grows along river banks. It suits hardiness zone 10a.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, East Africa, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

The tips of the stems are eaten raw or roasted as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Shoots, vegetable, bud

How it is grown

It can be grown from seeds. The fleshy layer should be removed. Sections of the rhizome can be used.

Its other names

Local names

Batanor, Bu ketao, Bugal, Ecapate, Ki tid, Kintem, Kitinga, Lububi, Mam-tampa-de-sera, Quitite, Quito, Si utem, Tambin, Tambo

Synonyms

Calamus akimensis Becc.; Calamus barteri Drude; and others