Calamus nanodendron

Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) nanodendron (nah-no-DEHN-drohn)
Gunung Gaharu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) Species: nanodendron (nah-no-DEHN-drohn)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Wi Mata Hari (Ib.)

Habitat and Distribution

Borneo. Known from a single collection from Andulau Forest Reserve. Elsewhere known only in the

Semengoh, Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.

First Division of Sarawak. Endemic.

Description

Massive solitary short-stemmed rattan with erect or sometimes decumbent stem to about 1 m only; stem without sheaths to about 5 cm diam., with sheaths to 10 cm in diam., internodes very short, to 3 cm only. Sheaths tubular at first, later splitting opposite the petiole for much of their length, dull green, densely covered with robust triangular green spines 5-70 × 3-6 mm, and scattered deciduous scale between the spines; spines around the sheath mouth sometimes more slender and erect; knee absent; ocrea inconspicuous. Flagellum absent. Leaf robust, ecirrate, arching, to 2.5 m long including the petiole to 50 cm; petiole deeply channeled, densely armed with horizontal spines 5-60 × 3-6 mm with swollen bases; leaflets about 50 on each side of the rachis, narrow, very regular, the longest about 50 × 2 cm in mid leaf, decreasing to about 16 × 1 cm at the tip, transverse veinlets very fine and close. Inflorescences short, rarely more than 30 cm, the male with up to 5 partial inflorescences, the female with 2 or spicate; male rachilla curved, about 5 cm long, the female about 5.5 cm. Mature fruit rounded or somewhat top-shaped, c. 20 mm diam., covered in c. 26 vertical rows of dull straw-coloured scales. Seed ± oblate, 20 × 15 mm, very deeply grooved and pitted, the endosperm otherwise homogeneous. Seedling leaf not known. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam. 1997)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

C. nanodendron is a palm of kerangas or of forest transitional between kerangas and lowland dipterocarp forest. It is a most peculiar and distinctive species with its massive short, not climbing stem. Mature fruit has recently been collected for the first time in Sarawak. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam. 1997)/Palmweb.

Comments and Curiosities

Etymology: Dwarf tree