Calamus axillaris

Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) axillaris (ahk-zill-AHR-uhs)
Sungai Belait, Brunei Darussalam (Borneo). Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) Species: axillaris (ahk-zill-AHR-uhs)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Uwai Taut (Dus.), Wi Gemaing (Dus.,Ib.), Wi Lemaing (Ib.)

Habitat and Distribution

Only in Belait District where it is a very common and conspicuous rattan in empran (seasonally-flooded alluvial forest)

Sungai Belait, Brunei Darussalam (Borneo). Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.

along the Belait River. Elsewhere in Sarawak, West Kalimantan and Peninsular Malaysia. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam. 1997)/Palmweb.

Description

Clustering moderate high-climbing rattan to 40 m or more; stem without to 13 mm diam., with sheaths to 25 mm, internodes to 15 cm long at maturity, longer in juvenile stems. Sheaths dull green, armed with scattered green, pale-based black-tipped spines to 25 × 5 mm, with much smaller spines scattered in between; knee conspicuous; ocrea dark brown, tattering, to 6 mm high. Leaf cirrate to 2 m long including the cirrus to 75 cm; petiole either absent or rather short, sparsely armed, channelled on the upper surface; leaflets about 20 on each side of the rachis, subregularly arranged near the base, in pairs distally or in pairs throughout, the longest to c. 45 × 4 cm, sometimes much shorter and broader, very slightly bristly at the tip, concolorous. Male and female inflorescences superficially similar, 80-120 cm long, with about 6 partial inflorescences to 15 cm long; rachillae reflexed, c. 6 cm long. Mature fruit ovoid, c. 11 × 9 mm, shortly beaked, covered in up to 26 rows of dull straw-coloured overlapping scales. seed to 8 × 5 × 4 mm; endosperm homogeneous. seedling leaf unknown. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam. 1997)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

This species most closely resembles Calamus caesius (not recorded for Brunei) and C. optimus. It is easily distinguished, in Brunei in its habitat, by the moderate size, dense clumping habit, grouped leaflets and concolorous leaflets. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam. 1997)/Palmweb.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

Etymology: Axillary, perhaps referring to the rather low insertion of the inflorescence (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam. 1997)/Palmweb.

Uses: Although the cane appears to be of good quality it seems only to be used for coarse basketware in Brunei. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam. 1997)/Palmweb.