Plectocomia himalayana Griff., Calcutta J. Nat. Hist. 5: 100 (1845)

Primary tabs

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)

China South-Central present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B

East Himalaya present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B

Laos present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B

Thailand present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B

INDIA (Sikkim, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh). Endemic. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

A dominant rattan species in the middle and upper hill forests (1500 - 2500 m altitude) of eastern Himalaya. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

Tehri Bet, Runul Bet, Rano Bet. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

Canes are soft and therefore unsuitable for furniture making; used by the hill people for tying fences and for making tea baskets for plucked tea-leaves. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

A high climbing rattan; stem clustering, with leafsheath 2-4 cm in diameter. Leaves cirrate about 2.5 m long; leafsheath semi-woody, covered outside with spirally disposed 1.5-2 cm long needle-like brown spines; petiole absent in adult leaves; rachis 3 cm broad, armed below with single row of digitate claws; leaflets alternate to irregularly disposed on rachis, 5-nerved, 30 - 40 cm long, 2-3 cm broad at middle. Inflorescence with 1 m - 1.5m long pendulous primary flower branches; primary bracts tubular, obliquely truncate with triangular appendage on one side, tomentose at base; flower branches 60-80 cm long, slender, sinuous, covered with alternate, triangular-ablong, acute to acuminate, 4-5 cm long, 5 cm broad bracts; bracteoles in male rachilla subulate; male flowers sessile, trigonous, 7-8mm long; petals much longer than calyx, lanceolate, acuminate; stamens with subulate filaments; anthers broadly linear, 4 mm long; pistillode with 3 rudimentary papillae. Female flowers about 9 in number in each bract, biseriate; each 8 - 9 mm long; calyx shortly cupular, with 3 long, acuminate teeth; corolla with 3 concave acuminate petals; ovary globose with non-laciniate scales; stigma sessile, trigonous. Fruit 1.5 cm in diameter, not wooly outside; fruit scales numerous arranged in longitudinal series with pappilose margins and obtuse tips; seed orbicular, depressed, 1 cm in diameter. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

East Himal. Herb. Griffith 6425 (CAL Ace. no. 494961) & K. type. (Basu, S.K. 1992: Rattans (canes) in India. A Monographic Revision)A

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

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

B. World Checklist of Arecaceae