Calamus hookerianus Becc. (PALMAE)
Common names
Malayalam: Kakkachural, Kallan, Vanthan, Velichural.
Description: Clustering, high climbing canes; stems more than 10 m long. Leaves up to 2 m long, ecirrate; petioles up to 75 cm long, spiny; rachis with a single row of spines; sheath brownish green, brown tomentose, densely spiny, spines triangular, the largest 2.5 x 0.5 cm; mouth of sheath with 15-18 cm long papery spines; knee when present not conspicuous; ocrea up to 8 cm long, caducous; flagellum up to 5 m long; leaflets more or less equidistant, up to 55 x 2.5 cm, linear-lanceolate, tip with short bristles. Inflorescence up to 5 m long; male inflorescence branching to 3 orders; female inflorescence branching to 2 orders. The fruits are approximately 8 mm across and subglobose in shape. They exhibit scales arranged in 18 rows, appearing yellowish-brown with dark brown margins. The endosperm is non-ruminate.
Flowering : January – July.
Fruiting : July – December.
Distribution: India: In evergreen forests of Western Ghats up to 1000 m. Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Endemic.
Uses: Extensively used in furniture industry and basket-making.