Wai lao, Wai mon
Calamus flagellum

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A rattan. It is a tall thin cane. It climbs to 30 m tall. It is 4-5 cm across. The stems are black coloured. They have prickles. The leaf sheaths are greenish yellow with dark brown hairs. It has flattened spines 6 cm long. The leaf stalks ate 3 m long and there are 27-35 narrow leaflets on each side. The middle ones are 60-70 cm long by 4-5 cm wide. The flowering shoot is 7 m long. The fruit are yellow to brown and oval. They are 3 cm long by 2 cm wide.

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

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. In Laos it grows between 800-950 m altitude. In Thailand it grows between 1,400-1,500 m altitude. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The soft inner young shoots are eaten as a vegetable. They are also used for chutney. The ripe fruit are eaten. They are also chewed as a masticatory.

Edible parts

Shoots, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Betgainra, Golar, Jeng bet, Nagagola-bet, Nagbet, Noga gola bet, Phyakre, Raiding, Tar rame, Yoyi

Synonyms

Calamus flagellum Griff. var. karinensis Becc.; Calamus karinensis (Becc.) S. J. Pei & S. Y. Chen;