Arecaceae
Calamus

Calamus inermis T.Anderson

First published in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 11: 11 (1869)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Assam to China (Yunnan) and Indo-China. It is a liana and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Conservation
Unknown. Listed as Threatened - Vulnerable in Vietnam (Phan Thuc Vat 1996).
Distribution
China (South Yunnan), Laos (probably North and Central) and Vietnam (Tonkin). Probably also South-east China (Merrill 1934).
Vernacular
Probably wai namleuang, wai leuang (Lao Loum).
Biology
Evergreen forest at 500-700 m (Vietnam) and probably 750 - 900 m (Laos).
[PW]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/46596/11065516

Conservation
CR - critically endangered
[IUCN]

Vernacular
wai nokkhor, wai khor, wai lai, wai namhang, wai namleuang, wai khairt (Lao Loum), kloong (Phong), kateng koday (Hmong).
Distribution
Indochinese endemic. China (South Yunnan), Thailand (North and North-east) and Laos (North and Central).
Conservation
Unknown, but probably of relatively low concern given the large populations present in Laos.
Biology
Evergreen forest at 350 - 600 m (Laos), 600 - 1000 m (Thailand) and 600 - 950 m (Yunnan).
[PW]

Biology
Evergreen forest at 1600 m.
Distribution
Indochinese endemic, known only from the type locality, where it is rarely found (Chen Sanyang, pers. comm. 1999).
Vernacular
None recorded.
Conservation
Of high concern since it is known from only one site. At present this site is carefully managed for the rattans it contains (Chen Sanyang, pers. comm. 1999).
[PW]

Distribution
: INDIA (Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal). Endemic.
General Description
A robust climber; stem cluster forming, with leafsheath 5 cm in diameter near lower part; leaves cirrate; leafsheath with distinct knee, more or less smooth on outer surface; tubular part of the sheath infrequently armed with flattened, subulate spines; rachis semiterete at lower part, armed below with paired or solitary hooks; leaflets numerous, lanceolate, in groups of 2 - 4 leaflets on each side of the rachis with long vacant space in between the groups; each to 50 cm long, to 4 cm broad at middle, 3-5 nerved; nerves mostly smooth on both sides or minutely spinous at margins and on upper nerves. Male inflorescence not seen. Female inflorescence 1.5 - 2 m long; partial inflorescences arching from the axis with distinct cushion at the point of attachment with the axis; rachillae sinuous, 20 cm long; 15-16 female flowers on each side of rachilla. Fruits globose, 3 cm in diameter; fruit-scales in 18 series, deeply channelled at middle; seed globose, centrally pitted; endosperm superficially ruminate; embryo basal; fruiting perianth cylindrical.
Biology
Infrequent in the moist forest of Garo and Khasia hills up to 700 m. It is also reported from the Buxa forest range of Jalpaiguri in West Bengal.
[PW]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Vernacular
Probably wai nwn, wai niuw, wai nokkhor, wai namleuang (Lao Loum), kateng blor (Hmong).
Conservation
Unknown, probably of little concern since it occupies such a wide range, although Renuka (1999) noted considerable recent declines in North-east India.
Distribution
India (North-east), China (North-west and South Yunnan and, probably, South-east China) and probably also Thailand (North) and Laos (North and Central).
Biology
In evergreen forest in China at 1600 m. Probably at 1400 - 1800 m in Laos.
[PW]

Uses

Use
Apparently the cane is of high quality and widely traded. The shoot is edible. There are reportedly plantations for cane production in Vietnam (Vu Van Dung & Le Huy Guang 1996).
[PW]

Use
The cane is of high quality and widely traded. The shoot is edible.
[PW]

Use
None recorded.
[PW]

Use
The cane is of high quality and this is a preferred species in trade in South Yunnan.
[PW]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Palmweb - Palms of the World Online

    • Palmweb 2011. Palmweb: Palms of the World Online. Published on the internet http://www.palmweb.org. Accessed on 21/04/2013
    • Content licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0