Calamus solitarius

Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) solitarius (soh-lih-TAHR-ee-uhs)
Vientiane, Laos.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) Species: solitarius (soh-lih-TAHR-ee-uhs)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
wai thork, wai yong, wai hakyong, wai savang, wai noi (Laos), wai thork (Thailand).

Habitat and Distribution

Indochinese endemic. Thailand (North-east) and Laos (Central). Tropical moist forest at 200 - 600 m in

Vientiane, Laos.

Laos and at 200 m in Thailand.

Description

Slender, solitary rattan. Stem to more than 30 m long, without sheaths 0.4–1 cm in diam., with sheaths 0.6–1.5 cm in diam. Leaf ecirrate; sheath light or dark green with scattered dark or light indumentum, spines numerous to few or sometimes almost absent, solitary, scattered, acicular with very slightly swollen bases, green, of various sizes up to 2 cm long, ± horizontal, ocrea very small, unarmed, marcescent; knee prominent; flagellum to 2 m; petiole of upper leaves 2–10 cm long, abaxially rounded, armed with scattered spines with slightly swollen bases, adaxially flat and unarmed or with scattered prickles; rachis 40–90 cm long, adaxially unarmed, rounded abaxially and armed with scattered dark-tipped spines; leaflets lanceolate, 9–14 per side, strongly grouped in pairs (or rarely threes), the pairs usually opposite one another, to 32 x 4.5 cm, basal leaflet on each side sometimes solitary, terminal leaflets in a group of four, the inner pair joined for 20–60% of their length, leaflet margins naked or rarely with a few scattered bristles, transverse veinlets quite conspicuous, sinuous. Inflorescence slender, flagelliform, 1.3–5.0 m long excluding terminal flagellum, pendulous, the male branching to 3 orders, the female to 2 orders; partial inflorescences long, basal one (40–) 60–100 (–135) cm, inserted deep within the primary bracts or exserted by several cm; male rachillae slightly exserted, slender, up to 4 cm long; female rachillae slightly exserted from secondary bracts, up to 4 cm long (rarely to 12 cm), much stouter than male, often strongly recurved. Fruit only seen immature, when spherical with an abrupt beak, covered in 14 vertical rows of scales, the scales green with red-brown margins. (J. Dransfield, A Synopsis of the Rattans (Arecaceae: Calamoideae) of Laos and Neighbouring Parts of Indochina. 2002)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Comments and Curiosities

NOTE: In spite of its commerical importance, this rattan was unnamed until 2000.

Uses: The cane is of high quality and is widely traded. Shoot edible but small. An important commercial cane in Laos and Cambodia.

Conservation: Of high conservation concern. It is currently known from a limited range, within which it is the preferred small-diameter cane for harvesting. Regeneration is likely to be poor since the plant is single-stemmed. Although still abundant in some areas, declines are apparent and over-harvesting is a strong possibility.