Calamus pilosellus

Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) pilosellus (pee-LOH-sehl-luhs)
Butik Pako ?, Brunei Darrusalam. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Calamus (KAL-ah-muhs) Species: pilosellus (pee-LOH-sehl-luhs)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Wi Labu (Ib.)

Habitat and Distribution

Borneo. In Brunei known from three collections from Temburong. Elsewhere in Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan. Endemic. Asia-Tropical Malesia Borneo. Tropical Moist Forest.

Calamus pilosellus in natural forests of Kalimantan, Borneo. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.

Description

Slender clustering rattan with stems to 10 m tall; stem without sheaths to 6 mm diam., with sheaths to 15 mm diam., internodes to c. 15 cm long, usually much less. Sheaths dark green, smooth, with occasional grey scales and very few spines to 4 mm long; knee conspicuous; ocrea forming a low membranous ridge to 4 mm. Flagellum to 1.5 m. Leaf ecirrate to 60 cm including the petiole to 10 cm; petiole very sparsely armed; rachis covered with dense rusty-coloured hairs; leaflets c. 33-40 on each side of the rachis, regularly arranged, close, relatively short, the longest to 14 × 1.25 cm, the upper surface usually with abundant very fine bristles, the margins usually ciliate, with hairs of adjacent leaflets interlocking, the lower surface usually minutely scabrid. Inflorescences to 80 cm, curving, with only short terminal flagellum and 5 strongly curved partial inflorescences, bearing curved rachillae; rachillae to 20 mm with conspicuous cups of bracteoles and rather distant flowers. Mature fruit rounded, covered in 15 vertical rows of orange-yellow scales; sarcotesta intensely bitter. Seedling not known. (J. Dransfield, The Rattans of Brunei Darussalam. 1997)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Comments and Curiosities

Uses: The cane appears to be of good quality and may be used for binding.