Calamus scipionum
Lour.
Malacca cane plant, Semembu rattan
gbif· cc0
President and Fellows of Harvard College
Description
A stout cane or rattan. It grows in clusters. It is 1.2 m between the nodes. It is fairly thick. The stems are 5 cm across. They can be 50 m long. It is spiny with whip like flagella that enables it to climb. The leaflets are 40 cm long. The fruit are green or yellow. They are scaly.
Edible Uses
The young shoots and fruit are edible; the fruit are eaten raw and are a source of Vitamin E (32.87 mg per 100 g).
Traditional Uses
The fruit are eaten raw.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows in secondary forest up to 500 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sarawak, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seeds and suckers.
Propagation
Seed - best sown fresh as stored seed soon loses its viability. Germination begins 4 weeks after sowing, but may take up to 27 weeks. Germination rates are variable, ranging from 30 - 66%.
Other Uses
The stems are used for making furniture of moderate quality. Stems with long internodes are valued for making walking sticks, umbrella handles, etc. This species is said to make a walking stick of excellent quality and beauty. 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.
Notes
There are 375-400 Calamus species. There are 175 species in tropical Asia. It contains alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E) content of 32.87 mg per 100 g .
Synonyms
Also Known As
Lataik kida, May nuoc, Rotan raja, Rotan semambu, Semambu rattan, Simambu, Sumambu, Wi marau
References (10)
- Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 95
- Balick, M.J. and Beck, H.T., (Ed.), 1990, Useful palms of the World. A Synoptic Bibliography. Colombia p 67
- Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 72
- 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 405
- Chai, P. P. K. (Ed), et al, 2000, A checklist of Flora, Fauna, Food and Medicinal Plants. Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarawak. Forestry Malaysia & ITTO. p 162, 169
Show all 10 references Hide references
- Ching, L. S. & Mohamed, S., 2001, Alpha-Tocopherol Content in 62 Edible Tropical Plants. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2001, 49, 3101−3105
- Fl. cochinch. 1:210. 1790
- Miean, K. H. & Mohamed, S., 2001, Flavonoid (Myricetin, Quercetin, Kaempferol, Luteolin, and Apigenin) Content of Edible Tropical Plants. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 49:3016-3112
- Sang, D. T., & Mizoue, K. O. N., 2012, Use of Edible Forest Plants among Indigenous Ethnic Minorities in Cat Tien Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam. Asian Journal of Biodiversity Vol. 3 (1), p 23-49
- Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 765
