Solitary lawyer vine
Calamus vitiensis

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A climbing palm or rattan. It is a large plant with solitary stems which can be 35 m long. They are 5 cm across. The leaves are 4 m long. They are slightly arching. The leaflets are limp and hang downwards. They are broadly sword shaped and dark glossy green. They are about 40 cm long. It climbs by 2 m long stalks on the ends of the leaves.

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

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the rainforest. It grows from sea level to 1600 m altitude in Vanuatu.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

How it is used for food

Stem sap drunk

Edible parts

Stem sap drunk, shoots

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Dunk Island lawyer vine, Loya ken, Mission Beach wait-a-while

Synonyms

Calamus hollrungii Becc.; Calamus stipitatus Burret; Calamus vanuatuensis Dowe;