Calamus brandisii Becc., Fl. Brit. India 6: 448 (1892)

Primary tabs

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
India present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
INDIA (Tamil Nadu, Kerala). Endemic. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Infrequent in moist forests of the lower Western Ghats. Now restricted to the southern most part of Western Ghats. This species was collected from Tamil Nadu after 50 years, but could not be traced in Kerala (Renuka et. al., 1987). (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

Uses

  • Unknown. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

Description

  • A slender climber; stem cluster-forming, with leafsheath 10 -15 mm in diameter, without leafsheath 9 mm in diameter. Leaves ecirrate; leafsheath armed with numerous, thin, 9 mm - 2 cm long needle-like spines; leafsheath with distinct knee and long, delicate flagellum; ocrea furnished with straight subulate spines; rachis armed with needle-like straight spines and deflexed spines on margins and on lower side; petiole about 20 - 25 cm long with 3 - 5 cm long needles on both sides; leaflets lanceolate, acuminate, to 40 cm long, 3 - 5 cm broad at middle, arranged in groups of 3 - 4 leaflets on each side; inequidistant on rachis; uppermost leaflets digitate at summit, almost with the same size as the other, 5-nerved. Male and female inflorescences flagelliform; prophyll flattened at base, aculeate on flat edges with distinct tongue-like appendage at the opening; partial inflorescences twice branched, adnate at base with the inflorescence axis and separate high above the mouth of the respective basal bracts; bracts spiny outside; male rachillae alternate, 2 - 3 cm long; male flowers distichous; female partial inflorescences with 15-20 cm long, 8-9 alternate female rachillae. Fruit oblong, brownish, 10mm x 7 mm, with abrupt stigmatic beak; fruiting perianth flattened to slightly bulged outside; fruit scales sligthly swollen, yellow with light brown margins, faintly channelled at middle, arranged in 12 longitudinal series. Seed not examined. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

Materials Examined

  • Kerala: Courtallum, 1500 m, Feb. 1882, Brandis s.n. (CAL); Tamil Nadu : Tirunelveli Dist., Netrikal, 13.2.1913. Hooper & Ramaswami 38574 (CAL); Netrikal, 3.3.1917, Beddome 1877 (CAL); Netrical, Elumbi Odai, 23.12.1984, Vajravelu 76441 (CAL & MH). (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

Cultivation

  • Not cultivated. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

Bibliography

    A. Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae