Calamus javensis
Blume
Candle rattan
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Summary
Source: WikipediaCalamus javensis is a vine in the family Arecaceae. It is native to the East Indies. The species is the thinnest of all rattans, measuring only 3 mm in width.
Description
A palm or rattan. It is a small, clustering climber. The stems can be 10 m long and 1 cm across. It climbs by 1 m long flagelli which are on the ends of 60 cm long leaves. The leaflets are dark green and 12 cm long. They taper towards the tip. The lowest pair of leaflets usually point backwards. The leaflets at the end are fused.
Edible Uses
The young shoots are eaten cooked. The palm heart and cabbage (shoot tips) are also edible portions.
Traditional Uses
CAUTION: The plant contains alkaloids in the seed, leaf, stem and root. The young shoots are eaten cooked.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
The edible raw terminal bud is used for curing coughs.
Known Hazards
The plant contains alkaloids in the seed, leaf, stem, and root.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows from sea level to 2,000 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seed and suckers.
Propagation
Seed - it has a fairly short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe.
Other Uses
The slender stem is much used for cordage by local people. It is also used for making baskets, the covers of blowpipe quivers, noose traps and musical instruments. The stems are easy to split, strong and supple. The cane is considered excellent because of its length and strength and is said to be second in quality only to the commercially harvested species Calamus caesius. The long and slender stems of Calamus species are put to various uses according to their size, length, flexibility, elasticity and toughness. The most slender canes are employed entire for binding purposes, and in making chairs, blinds, mats, wicker or basketwork, fishing implements, etc. Twisted together, they make very strong cables. The largest and more resistent canes are used entire as cables, the framework of wicker chairs etc. Usually, however, for many purposes the stems are split throughout their length into 2 - 4 or more strips from which the inner soft brittle and spongy portion is removed by means of a knife or same other instrument, so as to leave the external portion, which is hard, tough, flexible, elastic and has its outer surface very clean and smooth as if it had been varnished. Strips vary in width according to the use to which they are to be put. Those for delicate work, such as the network of furniture, small bags, hats, etc, are from 1 - 3mm wide; those employed as lashings in native housebuilding or in fastening the removable head of the Malay axe to its handle are from 5-6 mm wide. Collecting and preparing the stems is very simple. The stem is cut near the ground and detached from the trees by taking a strong hold of its base and thus pulling down the entire plant with its leaves. The most recent growth at the top of the plant is removed and then, handling it from the upper end, the stem is forcibly drawn in the opposite direction between two pieces of wood, thus removing the spiny coverings. It is then cut into lengths of about 5 metres, each piece is bent into two equal parts and the stems are fastened into bundles ready for market. The most valued stems are not thicker than a man's little finger and have a fine polished straw-yellow glassy surface. The spiny leaf-sheaths were formerly used for making graters.
Notes
There are 375-400 Calamus species. There are 175 species in tropical Asia.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Howe chaching, Howe omas, Rotan beras, Rotan ledas, Rotan lilin, Rotan manchik, Rotan opot, Rotan pueh, Rotan serimit, Rotan sindol, Rotan sini
References (7)
- Balick, M.J. and Beck, H.T., (Ed.), 1990, Useful palms of the World. A Synoptic Bibliography. Colombia p 65, 457,
- Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 1 (A-H) p 403
- Johnson, D.V., 1998, Tropical palms. Non-wood Forest products 10. FAO Rome. p 66
- Ochse, J. J. et al, 1931, Vegetables of the Dutch East Indies. Asher reprint. p 557
- PROSEA (Plant Resources of South East Asia) handbook, Volume 6, 1993, Rattans.
Show all 7 references Hide references
- Riffle, R.L. & Craft, P., 2003, An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. p 284
- Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 762
