Calamus caesius Blume, Rumphia 3: 57 (1847)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_29404_3.jpg

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Borneo present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Malaya present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Philippines present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Samoa present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Sumatera present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Thailand present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Widespread throughout the State. Elsewhere throughout Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, S. Thailand (possibly introduced) and Palawan. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Discussion

  • C. caesius is a very widespread species, occurring in a wide range of habitats from the lowlands up to c. 800 m altitude. In some localities it may well have been introduced. It seems to grow best on alluvial sites but seedlings can be killed by prolonged flooding. In Sarawak it will occur at relatively high elevations, such as on steep ridges in hill dipterocarp forest at 800 m. The combination of cirrate leaves with irregularly arranged leaflets dark green on the upper surface, pale grey- white beneath is diagnostic; for differences between C. caesius and C. optimus see the latter. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Common Name

  • rotan sega (Mai.), wi letik (Ib.), wi buru (Bid.) (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Etymology

  • Blue-green (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Uses

  • Without doubt the best quality cane of its size class, ideal for all types of binding and weaving in the furniture industry and widely used locally in traditional weaving. (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Description

  • Clustering moderate-sized rattan climbing high into the canopy with stems ultimately reaching 100 m or more, the clump tending to be close and eventually with many aerial stems; stem without sheaths variable, 7-18 mm diam., with sheaths to 25 mm diam., internodes up to 50 cm (even longer in juveniles); cane surface highly polished, the outer surface snapping off in flakes when the cane is bent. Sheaths dull green, armed with sparse pale triangular spines to 15 x 5 mm and sparse grey indumentum, smaller spines sometimes also present; knee prominent; ocrea inconspicuous. Leaf cirrate to 1.5 m including the cirrus to 75 cm; petiole present in juvenile shoots, absent in mature climbing stems; leaflets c. 15 on each side of the rachis, irregularly arranged, usually in alternate pairs, occasionally in 3's, dark green on the upper surface, white beneath, somewhat plicate, often cucullate, the longest to 30 x 5 cm. Inflorescences to 2 m with 7 or more partial inflorescences to 75 cm, the whole inflorescence sometimes ending in a divaricate axis to 20 cm; bracts tubular with sparse brown indumentum; female rachillae c. 10 cm long. Ripe fruit ovoid, c. 15 x 10 mm, with a beak to 2 mm, and covered in 15 - 21 vertical rows of greenish white scales drying pale straw-coloured. Seed ovoid, c. 12 x 7 mm; endosperm deeply ruminate. Seedling leaf forked, the two lobes parallel, 1/4 the length of the whole lamina, dark green on the upper surface, white beneath (Fig. 41). (Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J. 1992: The Rattans of Sarawak
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae