Calamus gracilis
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A rattan. The stems are in clusters. It climbs to 30 m tall. The stems are 2 cm across. The leaf sheaths are green and mottled with dark brown and white hairs. There are only a few small spines. The leaf stalks are 70 cm long with 8-15 narrow leaflets on each side. These are arranged in regularly groups widely spaced.
There are 375-400 Calamus species. There are 175 species in tropical Asia.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical plant. It grows in evergreen forest between 300-850 m altitude. In southern China it is in lowland rain forests between 800-1,500 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, SE Asia, Vietnam
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Shoots
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Wai hom, Wai soum, Wai tairtair