''Calamus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the palm family

Arecaceae The Arecaceae () is a family (biology), family of perennial plant, perennial, flowering plants in the Monocotyledon, monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbing palm, climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly k ...

, and is one of several genera known as

rattan Rattan, also spelled ratan (from Malay language, Malay: ''rotan''), is the name for roughly 600 species of Old World climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae. The greatest diversity of rattan palm species and genera are in the clos ...

palms. There are an estimated 400 species in this genus, all native to tropical and subtropical

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Description

Species in this genus are mostly climbers with long, slender, flexible stems, but some are erect shrubs and some have no apparent stem (). They may be clustering or single-stemmed. The leaves are with an even number of leaflets, in the climbers they may be variously barbed or clothed in spines (including the leaf sheath). Climbers also produce armed

tendril In botany, a tendril is a specialized Plant stem, stem, leaf or Petiole (botany), petiole with a thread-like shape used by climbing plants for support and attachment, as well as cellular invasion by parasitic plants such as ''Cuscuta''. There ar ...

s – either from the leaf sheath, in which case it is known as a 'flagella', or as an extension of the midrib and known as a 'cirrus'. Climbing species will often reach the forest canopy, and one plant was recorded as being long. All species are

dioecious Dioecy ( ; ; adj. dioecious, ) is a characteristic of certain species that have distinct unisexual individuals, each producing either male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproduction is ...

, meaning that male and female inflorescences are produced on separate plants. They both arise from the and are pendant and branched, and may variously have barbs, spines or cirri. The fruit rarely contain more than one seed, the thin

sarcotesta The sarcotesta is a fleshy seedcoat, a type of testa. Examples of seeds with a sarcotesta are pomegranate, ginkgo ''Ginkgo'' is a genus of non-flowering seed plants, assigned to the gymnosperms. The scientific name is also used as the Eng ...

is covered by an external layer made up of rows of small overlapping scales similar in appearance to a snakeskin.

Taxonomy

''Calamus'' is the sole genus in the subtribe Calaminae, tribe

Calameae CalameaeKunth CS ex Lecoq & Juillet (1831) ''Dictionnaire raisonne des termes de botanique'' 98. is a palm tree tribe in the subfamily Calamoideae. The type genus is ''Calamus (palm), Calamus'' and many of its members are rattans. Genera * ''C ...

, subfamily

Calamoideae Calamoideae is a subfamily of flowering plant in the palm family found throughout Central America, South America, Africa, India, China, Southeast Asia and Australia. It is represented by 21 genera - containing nearly a quarter of all species i ...

. It includes over 400 species after the remaining genera of Calaminae ('' Daemonorops'', ''Calospatha'', '' Ceratolobus'', ''Pogonotium'' and ''Retispatha'') were subsumed within it in 2015, in preparation for a wide review of the genus. It is known to be non-

monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...

, and a reliable description of the genus is not possible due to a lack of uneqivocal

synapomorphies In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel character or character state that has evolved from its ancestral form (or plesiomorphy). A synapomorphy is an apomorphy shared by two or more taxa and is therefore hypothesized to ...

Distribution

The genus is distributed from Africa through southeast Asia and Australia to islands of the western Pacific. The bulk of the species occur in Asia, with one species in Africa (''C. deerratus'') and eight in Australia.

Uses

Various species are used to produce the rattan cane for making furniture. Many species were also used in tribal cultures –

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

s used various parts for shelters, baskets, axe handles, fish traps and fishing lines, as well as eating the fruit and young shoots. Some species may have medicinal properties.

Species

, ''

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

'' recognises 416 species: *'' Calamus acamptostachys'' *'' Calamus acanthochlamys'' *'' Calamus acanthophyllus'' *''

Calamus acanthospathus ''Calamus acanthospathus'' is a species of flowering plant in the palm family Arecaceae The Arecaceae () is a family (biology), family of perennial plant, perennial, flowering plants in the Monocotyledon, monocot order Arecales. Their growth ...

'' *''

Calamus acaulis Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...

'' *''

Calamus adspersus Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...

'' *''

Calamus aidae Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...

'' *''

Calamus albidus Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...

'' *''

Calamus altiscandens Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...

'' *''

Calamus andamanicus Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...

'' *''

Calamus anomalus Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...

Calamus erectus ''Calamus erectus'', also known as viagra palm and locally as tynriew, tara, and zhi li sheng teng, is a flowering shrub in the family Arecaceae. The Botanical nomenclature, specific epithet (''erectus'') refers to the plant's habit of growing str ...

'' *'' Calamus erinaceus'' *'' Calamus erioacanthus'' *'' Calamus erythrocarpus'' *'' Calamus essigii'' *'' Calamus eugenei'' *'' Calamus evansii'' *'' Calamus exiguus'' *'' Calamus exilis'' *'' Calamus fertilis'' *'' Calamus filipendulus'' *'' Calamus filispadix'' *'' Calamus fissilis'' *'' Calamus flabellatus'' *'' Calamus flagellum'' *'' Calamus floribundus'' *'' Calamus formicarius'' *'' Calamus formosanus'' *'' Calamus furvus'' *'' Calamus gaharuensis'' *'' Calamus gajoensis'' *'' Calamus gamblei'' *'' Calamus geniculatus'' *''

Calamus gibbsianus ''Calamus gibbsianus'' is a species of rattan palm in the genus '' Calamus'' endemic to the Malaysian States of Sarawak and Sabah on the island of Borneo Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an ...

'' *'' Calamus glaucescens'' *'' Calamus godefroyi'' *'' Calamus gonospermus'' *'' Calamus goramensis'' *'' Calamus gracilipes'' *'' Calamus gracilis'' *'' Calamus griseus'' *'' Calamus guruba'' *'' Calamus hallierianus'' *'' Calamus harmandii'' *'' Calamus heatubunii'' *'' Calamus helferianus'' *'' Calamus henryanus'' *'' Calamus heteracanthopsis'' *'' Calamus heteracanthus'' *'' Calamus heteroideus'' *'' Calamus hirsutus'' *'' Calamus holttumii'' *'' Calamus hookerianus'' *'' Calamus horrens'' *'' Calamus hosensis'' *'' Calamus hukaungensis'' *'' Calamus impressus'' *'' Calamus inermis'' *'' Calamus ingens'' *'' Calamus inops'' *'' Calamus insignis'' *'' Calamus insolitus'' *'' Calamus insularis'' *'' Calamus interruptus'' *'' Calamus jacobsii'' *'' Calamus javensis'' *'' Calamus johanis'' *'' Calamus johndransfieldii'' *'' Calamus johnsii'' *'' Calamus kampucheaensis'' *'' Calamus kandariensis'' *'' Calamus karuensis'' *'' Calamus katikii'' *'' Calamus kebariensis'' *'' Calamus kinabaluensis'' *'' Calamus kingianus'' *'' Calamus kjellbergii'' *'' Calamus klossii'' *'' Calamus kontumensis'' *'' Calamus koordersianus'' *'' Calamus kostermansii'' *'' Calamus kubahensis'' *'' Calamus kunstleri'' *'' Calamus lakshmanae'' *'' Calamus lambirensis'' *'' Calamus lamprolepis'' *'' Calamus laoensis'' *'' Calamus lateralis'' *'' Calamus latifolius'' *'' Calamus latus'' *'' Calamus lauterbachii'' *'' Calamus laxissimus'' *'' Calamus leiocaulis'' *'' Calamus leloi'' *'' Calamus lengguanii'' *'' Calamus leptopus'' *'' Calamus leptospadix'' *'' Calamus leptostachys'' *'' Calamus lobatus'' *'' Calamus lobbianus'' *'' Calamus loherianus'' *'' Calamus longibracteatus'' *'' Calamus longipes'' *'' Calamus longipinna'' *'' Calamus longisetus'' *'' Calamus longispatha'' *'' Calamus longiusculus'' *'' Calamus lucysmithiae'' *'' Calamus macrochlamys'' *'' Calamus macropterus'' *'' Calamus macrorhynchus'' *'' Calamus macrosphaerion'' *'' Calamus maculatus'' *'' Calamus mahanandensis'' *'' Calamus maiadum'' *'' Calamus malawaliensis'' *'' Calamus manan'' *'' Calamus manglaensis'' *'' Calamus manillensis'' *'' Calamus marginatus'' *'' Calamus maturbongsii'' *'' Calamus megaphyllus'' *'' Calamus meghalayensis'' *'' Calamus melanacanthos'' *'' Calamus melanochaetes'' *'' Calamus melanochrous'' *'' Calamus melanoloma'' *'' Calamus melanorhynchus'' *'' Calamus metzianus'' *'' Calamus micracanthus'' *'' Calamus micranthus'' *'' Calamus microsphaerion'' *'' Calamus minahassae'' *'' Calamus minor'' *'' Calamus minutus'' *'' Calamus mirabilis'' *'' Calamus mitis'' *'' Calamus modestus'' *'' Calamus mogeae'' *'' Calamus mollispinus'' *'' Calamus moorei'' *'' Calamus moorhousei'' *'' Calamus moseleyanus'' *'' Calamus moszkowskianus'' *'' Calamus moti'' *'' Calamus muelleri'' *'' Calamus multispicatus'' *'' Calamus muricatus'' *'' Calamus myriacanthus'' *'' Calamus myrianthus'' *'' Calamus nagbettai'' *'' Calamus nanduensis'' *'' Calamus nannostachys'' *'' Calamus nanodendron'' *'' Calamus nematospadix'' *'' Calamus nicobaricus'' *'' Calamus nielsenii'' *'' Calamus nitidus'' *'' Calamus notabilis'' *'' Calamus novae-georgii'' *'' Calamus nudus'' *''

Calamus nuichuaensis Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * Calamus (fish), ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * Calamus (palm), ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill ...

'' *'' Calamus nuralievii'' *'' Calamus obiensis'' *'' Calamus oblatus'' *'' Calamus oblongus'' *'' Calamus occidentalis'' *'' Calamus ochrolepis'' *'' Calamus ocreatus'' *'' Calamus oligostachys'' *'' Calamus optimus'' *'' Calamus oresbius'' *'' Calamus ornatus'' *'' Calamus ovoideus'' *'' Calamus oxleyanus'' *'' Calamus oxleyoides'' *'' Calamus oxycarpus'' *'' Calamus oxycoccus'' *'' Calamus pachypus'' *'' Calamus pachystemonus'' *'' Calamus padangensis'' *'' Calamus pahangensis'' *'' Calamus pandanosmus'' *'' Calamus papuanus'' *'' Calamus parutan'' *'' Calamus parvulus'' *'' Calamus paspalanthus'' *'' Calamus paulii'' *'' Calamus pedicellaris'' *'' Calamus pedicellatus'' *'' Calamus penicillatus'' *'' Calamus perakensis'' *'' Calamus peregrinus'' *'' Calamus periacanthus'' *'' Calamus pertenuis'' *'' Calamus pholidostachys'' *'' Calamus pilosellus'' *'' Calamus pilosissimus'' *'' Calamus pintaudii'' *'' Calamus platyspathus'' *'' Calamus plicatus'' *'' Calamus poensis'' *'' Calamus pogonacanthus'' *'' Calamus pogonotium'' *'' Calamus poilanei'' *'' Calamus politus'' *'' Calamus polycladus'' *'' Calamus posoanus'' *'' Calamus powlingii'' *'' Calamus praetermissus'' *'' Calamus propinquus'' *'' Calamus pseudoconcolor'' *'' Calamus pseudoerectus'' *'' Calamus pseudomollis'' *'' Calamus pseudotenuis'' *'' Calamus pseudozebrinus'' *'' Calamus psilocladus'' *'' Calamus pycnocarpus'' *'' Calamus pygmaeus'' *'' Calamus quangngaiensis'' *'' Calamus radiatus'' *'' Calamus radicalis'' *'' Calamus radulosus'' *'' Calamus reinwardtii'' *'' Calamus reticulatus'' *'' Calamus retroflexus'' *'' Calamus rhabdocladus'' *'' Calamus rheedei'' *'' Calamus rhomboideus'' *'' Calamus rhytidomus'' *'' Calamus ridleyanus'' *'' Calamus robinsonianus'' *'' Calamus rotang'' *'' Calamus ruber'' *'' Calamus rudentum'' *'' Calamus rugosus'' *'' Calamus rumphii'' *'' Calamus ruptilis'' *'' Calamus ruptiloides'' *'' Calamus ruvidus'' *'' Calamus sabalensis'' *'' Calamus salicifolius'' *''

Calamus saltuensis Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...

'' *'' Calamus samian'' *'' Calamus sandsii'' *'' Calamus sarawakensis'' *'' Calamus sashae'' *'' Calamus scabridulus'' *'' Calamus scabrispathus'' *'' Calamus scapigerus'' *'' Calamus schistoacanthus'' *'' Calamus schlechteri'' *'' Calamus schlechterianus'' *'' Calamus scipionum'' *'' Calamus scleracanthus'' *'' Calamus sedens'' *'' Calamus senalingensis'' *'' Calamus septimus'' *'' Calamus seriatus'' *''

Calamus seropakensis Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * ''Acorus calamus'', the swee ...

'' *'' Calamus serpentinus'' *'' Calamus serrulatus'' *'' Calamus sessiliflorus'' *'' Calamus simplex'' *'' Calamus siphonospathus'' *'' Calamus smitinandii'' *'' Calamus sordidus'' *'' Calamus spanostachys'' *'' Calamus sparsiflorus'' *'' Calamus spectatissimus'' *'' Calamus spiculifer'' *'' Calamus spinosus'' *'' Calamus spinulinervis'' *'' Calamus spiralis'' *'' Calamus suaveolens'' *'' Calamus subangulatus'' *'' Calamus subsolanus'' *'' Calamus sulawesiensis'' *'' Calamus sumatranus'' *'' Calamus superciliatus'' *'' Calamus susukensis'' *'' Calamus symphysipus'' *'' Calamus tadulakoensis'' *'' Calamus tambingensis'' *'' Calamus tapanensis'' *'' Calamus temii'' *'' Calamus tenompokensis'' *'' Calamus tenuis'' *'' Calamus tetradactyloides'' *'' Calamus tetradactylus'' *'' Calamus thwaitesii'' *'' Calamus thysanolepis'' *'' Calamus timorensis'' *'' Calamus trachycoleus'' *'' Calamus trigynus'' *'' Calamus tumidus'' *'' Calamus unifarius'' *'' Calamus unijugus'' *'' Calamus ursinus'' *'' Calamus usitatus'' *'' Calamus validus'' *'' Calamus vattayila'' *'' Calamus velutinus'' *'' Calamus verticillaris'' *'' Calamus vestitus'' *'' Calamus vidalianus'' *'' Calamus viminalis'' *'' Calamus vinaceus'' *'' Calamus vinosus'' *''

Calamus viridis Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * ''Acorus calamus'', the swee ...

'' *'' Calamus vitiensis'' *'' Calamus walkeri'' *'' Calamus wanggaii'' *'' Calamus warayanus'' *'' Calamus warburgii'' *'' Calamus wedaensis'' *'' Calamus whitmorei'' *'' Calamus wightii'' *'' Calamus womersleyi'' *'' Calamus wuliangshanensis'' *'' Calamus yentuensis'' *'' Calamus zebrinus'' *'' Calamus zeylanicus'' *'' Calamus zieckii'' *'' Calamus zollingeri'' *'' Calamus zonatus''

References

{{Authority control Arecaceae genera Dioecious plants