Wai nyair
Calamus tenuis

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A rattan. It is a climbing plant. It grows in clumps. The stems are very large. It has spines. The leaves are alternate. The leaves have leaflets along them. They are 45-75 cm long. There are 20-30 leaflets on each side. They are 30 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. The leaflets are pale green. The leaf stalk has curved spines underneath. The fruit is fleshy and round or oval. It is covered with scales.

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

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. In Indochina it grows in scrub often in areas that flood regularly. It grows in swampy forest. It grows between 200-300 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pakistan, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The soft inner section of the young shoots is eaten as a vegetable. They are cooked. The harvested shoots can be stored for 7-8 days. The ripe fruit and seeds are eaten raw.

It is cultivated for its edible shoots.

Edible parts

Shoots, fruits, seeds, stems

How it is grown

In Nagaland fruit are available November to December.

Its other names

Local names

Bareilly-kyein, Bent, Bet gash, Betgaj, Garla bithra, Garlabata, Jali bet, Jatee-bhet, Jatibet, Jeing, Phal-bed, Pre tor, Raidang, Rih, Sanchi bet, Sha, Ta-ye-li-kyein, Thil te, Veijong, Vetasah, Wai chumphon

Synonyms

Calamus horrens Blume;