Calamus vattayila
Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) vattayila (vaht-teh-EE-lah) | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
India. Grows in the tropical moist forests of Thenmala, Ranni, Wynad, and Western Ghats; Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Sporadic in distribution between 200-750 m.Description
Solitary, high climbing canes, stem up to 20 m long. Leaves up to 1 m long; ecirrate; petioles up to 25 cm long, spiny; rachis with 3 rows of claw-like spines; sheath dark green, sparingly spiny, spines up to 2 cm long; knee conspicuous; ocrea small, 5 mm long; flagellum about 4 m long; leaflets alternate, elliptic, about 40 x 10 cm, 6-veined, tip with short bristles. Female inflorescence up to 1 m long. Fruits oblong, about 2.5 x 0.8 cm; scales in 27 rows, longer than broad, not channeled, chestnut brown. Endosperm ruminate.
A high climbing rattan; stem cluster-forming, 15 m or more long, with leafsheath 2.5 cm in diameter; naked stem 1.8 cm in diameter; internodes to 27 cm long. Leaves ecirrate, to 1 m long; leafsheath dark green, sparingly spiny, spines 2 cm long, upwardly pointed, infrequent; leafsheath knee conspicuous; ocrea 5 mm long; leafsheath flagellum dark green, 4 m long, petiole to 25 cm long, armed with about 1 cm long spines; rachis armed below with digitate claws; leaflets dark green, alternate, oblong, 40 x 10 cm, prominently 6 nerved, bristly at apices. Inflorescence flagelliform; axial part near base 1 cm in diameter; partial inflorescences about 5 in number, 28 cm long, once branched, with closely shehating subtending bracts; each bract lanceolate at upper free part; axial part of inflorescence armed with 3 mm long spines; rachillae 5 cm long, with distinct alternate cup-like bracts. Female flowers 5 mm long. Fruit oblong, falsely pedicellate with distinct columnar 4 mm long beak, 2.8 cm x 1.4 cm., fruit scales light brown, minute, without channelled at middle, arranged in 25 longitudinal rows; 1-seeded, seed sculptured on one side, oblong, 1.5 cm x 8 mm. (J. Dransfield, Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision. 1992)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
Culture
Introduced in the experimental plots of Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Kerala. Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a
Comments and Curiosities
Phenology: Flowering: September – October. Fruiting: April - May.
Uses: A good quality cane used in furniture industry. It however is in short supply.
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, Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision. 1992
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.