Claudie River Lawyer Vine
Calamus warburgii
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A climbing palm with many thorns. It forms large clumps. The stems are 35 m long and 2.5 cm wide. The leaves are 2.6 m long. The leaves climb upwards but arch over. The leaves have 80-100 shiny-green leaflets. The leaflets are 25 cm long and 2 cm wide. The leaf sheath has spines about 5 cm long. The leaflets are limp and regularly spaced. They taper towards the tip. There are 4 m long stalks at the ends of many leaves which helps the plant climb.
There are 375-400 Calamus species. There are 175 species in tropical Asia.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It is very frost sensitive. They need a well-drained soil. Seedlings need to be in the shade. In northern Australia it grows from sea level to 400 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
How it is used for food
Edible parts
See entry calamus sp.
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. The seed germinate in 3-4 months. Seed need to be sown fresh. Seedlings are difficult to transplant.