Difference between revisions of "Category:CALAMUS"
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Calamus is the largest known genus in the whole palm family with more than 370 species (more than Dypsis and Chamadorea combined, plus Phoenix and Archontopoenix) but with few in cultivation. | Calamus is the largest known genus in the whole palm family with more than 370 species (more than Dypsis and Chamadorea combined, plus Phoenix and Archontopoenix) but with few in cultivation. | ||
| − | All Calamus are pinnate, dioecious and heavily armed with spines. Some are solitary, most are clustering. Many grow as very, very long "rattans" with vine-like stems up to 200 feet (66 | + | All Calamus are pinnate, dioecious and heavily armed with spines. Some are solitary, most are clustering. Many grow as very, very long "rattans" with vine-like stems up to 200 feet (66 M) long, which climb through the tall trees of the primary forests of tropical Asia, Indonesia, and Australia. |
Climbing Calamus are not true vines in that they do not have twining stems, leaf stems or tendrils like, say Ipomea (Morning glories). Instead, they climb by means of unique structures called ''cirri'' (modified leaf ''rachii'') and ''flagella'' (modified inflorescences) both of which are viciously spiny and up to ten or more feet long. The cirri and flagella essentially "hook" themselves onto the tree that is being climed. Lower stems on Calamus are spineless, since the spines are all borne in the crowns of leaves, on the cirri, flagella or the leaf bases. | Climbing Calamus are not true vines in that they do not have twining stems, leaf stems or tendrils like, say Ipomea (Morning glories). Instead, they climb by means of unique structures called ''cirri'' (modified leaf ''rachii'') and ''flagella'' (modified inflorescences) both of which are viciously spiny and up to ten or more feet long. The cirri and flagella essentially "hook" themselves onto the tree that is being climed. Lower stems on Calamus are spineless, since the spines are all borne in the crowns of leaves, on the cirri, flagella or the leaf bases. | ||
Calamus are more abundant herbarium collections than in botanical gardens mostly because their eventual size, spininess or both make them major management challenges. | Calamus are more abundant herbarium collections than in botanical gardens mostly because their eventual size, spininess or both make them major management challenges. | ||
Revision as of 18:27, 26 September 2009
GENERAL
Calamus is the largest known genus in the whole palm family with more than 370 species (more than Dypsis and Chamadorea combined, plus Phoenix and Archontopoenix) but with few in cultivation.
All Calamus are pinnate, dioecious and heavily armed with spines. Some are solitary, most are clustering. Many grow as very, very long "rattans" with vine-like stems up to 200 feet (66 M) long, which climb through the tall trees of the primary forests of tropical Asia, Indonesia, and Australia.
Climbing Calamus are not true vines in that they do not have twining stems, leaf stems or tendrils like, say Ipomea (Morning glories). Instead, they climb by means of unique structures called cirri (modified leaf rachii) and flagella (modified inflorescences) both of which are viciously spiny and up to ten or more feet long. The cirri and flagella essentially "hook" themselves onto the tree that is being climed. Lower stems on Calamus are spineless, since the spines are all borne in the crowns of leaves, on the cirri, flagella or the leaf bases.
Calamus are more abundant herbarium collections than in botanical gardens mostly because their eventual size, spininess or both make them major management challenges.
"CALAMUS"
The following 114 pages are in this category, out of 114 total.