Calamus erectus
Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) erectus (eh-REHK-tuhs) | |||||||
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H.P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, FL. Photo by botanisst Eric S. | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
INDIA (Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, West Bengal), BANGLADESH, BURMA. Grows in the lower hill forests, especially on the drier slopes. Frequent in the Tista and Rangit valley of Sikkim and West Bengal. Lowland or montane rain forests or drier forests usually on steep slopes; below 1400 m. Yunnan (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand).Description
To many people, Calamus instantly brings pictures of messy, spiny climbing palms which are quite unsuitable for cultivation. Think again! Calamus erectus is a most elegant palm. It does not climb and grows only to about 3m (10ft) tall, with short, weakly clustering stems to 1m (3ft) and does not have the catchy cirri and flagella. The leaves are long, slightly curved and bear many long, wide leaflets. The large seeds germinate very quickly, the first seedling leaf is pinnate and subsequent seedling growth is fast. An excellent pot plant or unusual outdoor specimen in climates ranging from warm temperate to tropical. (RPS.com)
Stems clustered, non-climbing, free standing or sometimes leaning, to 6 m, to 5 cm in diam. Leaf sheaths dark green with dark brown hairs, with short rows of brown, flattened spines to 3.5 cm; ocreas present, with rows of short spines, split into 2, soon falling; knees absent; flagella absent; petioles and rachis with whorls of yellow spines; rachis to 3 m with up to 40 lanceolate pinnae per side, these regularly arranged; middle pinnae 60-80 cm, 3.5-5 cm wide at mid-point, adaxial and abaxial veins and margins bristly; cirri absent. Inflorescences to 2 m, not flagellate; inflorescence bracts tubular, tattering at apices. Fruits greenish - or reddish brown, ellipsoid, 3-5 × 2-2.5 cm, scales grooved. Editing by Edric.
Detailed Scientific Description |
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A cluster forming non-scandent rattan. Stem with leafsheath 3.5-4 cm in diameter; exposed part of the stem green and smooth; intemodes 10-12 cm long. Leaves ecirrate, 3 - 5 m long; leafsheath without flagellum, armed with black, flattened spines; ocrea conspicuously auriculate; petiole 1.5 m long, subterete, covered with irregular, whorled spines; leaflets linear-ensiform, equidistant, green on both sides; rachis armed below with irregular to whorled straight spines. Inflorescence 1 m long, compact, non-flagelliform; primary bract elongate, tubular, lacerate in upper part; peduncle strongly armed with black, flattened comb-like spines; male rachillae slender, sterile basal part of rachillae enclosed within the basal bracts; male flowers bifarious, narrowly oblong, obscurely 3-angled at base; calyx campanulate, 3-lobed, lobes apiculate, corolla with 3 distinct petals. In female inflorescence rachillae without sterile basal part. Involucrophorumnon-pedicelliform. Fruit ellipsoid, 3 cm x 2 cm, with distinct conical beak; seed oblong to ovoid, terete in cross section; endosperm ruminate; embryo basal. (J. Dransfield and W.J. Baker. 1992)/Palmweb. Editing by edric. |
Culture
Experimental cultivation exists in the North Silviculture, Division, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. It is also cultivated in the Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah where a few male clumps exists. Experimental cultivation also exists in the Forest Research Institute, Chittagong, Bangladesh. (J. Dransfield and W.J. Baker. 1992)/Palmweb. Cold Hardiness Zone: 9b
Comments and Curiosities
Calamus erectus, is one of the few non-climbing Calamus species.
Uses: Due to shorter internodes, the cane is not useful for making furniture. The Miri tribe of Assam plains made their thatched nuts on bamboo pillars raised about 1 - 1.5 m above the ground level to protect them from flood and wild animals. For making the huts they use split Dendrocalamus bamboo and strong canes of Calamus erectus, leaves are used as thatch. Stems and leaves of Calamus erectus are also used by them for making poultry houses. In Sylhet, Bangladesh, people chew the seeds of Calamus erectus in place of betal nuts (Areca catechu). (J. Dransfield and W.J. Baker. 1992)/Palmweb.
External Links
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
J. Dransfield and W.J. Baker. 1992
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.