Waai pong
Calamus latifolius
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A climbing palm. The leaves are made up of leaflets. These leaves are 2.4-3.6 m long. There is a long spiny tendril at the top. The tendril which clings onto objects has spines. The male and female flowers are on separate plants. The fruit is a round one seeded fruit with a hard stone. It is about 1.5 cm across. It is shiny and brownish-yellow. The seeds have irregular wrinkles.
There are 375-400 Calamus species. There are 175 species in tropical Asia.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in evergreen tropical forest.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bangladesh, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand
How it is used for food
The young top of the shoot can be eaten. The pith of the stem is cooked and eaten. The leaf base can be eaten raw or boiled in curries. The fruit can be eaten.
It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Shoots, leaf base, fruit, stem pith
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Budum bet, Chiingmalngat, Kerak bet, Lee-ren, Rhekre bet, Ruabu, Taichiing, Takat, Ya-ma-htar-kyein, Yamata-kyein