Calamus viminalis
Calamus viminalis
Calamus viminalis, one of many Calamus species commonly referred to as rattan, is a plant of the Arecaceae, or palm, family native to: Java and Bali in Indonesia; Peninsular Malaysia; all parts of Thailand; Cambodia; Cochinchina and Central Annam in Vietnam; all parts of Laos; Myanmar; Bangladesh; Andaman and Nicobar Islands; North-east, North-central, and South India; and probably north-west and south Yunnan in China. The plant grows with clustered stems, either climbing on other plants or forming thickets. The stems can reach 35m with a diameter up to 4 cm. The whitish or yellowish globose f
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Calamus viminalisCalamus viminalis
Calamus viminalisCalamus viminalisCalamus viminalisOverview
The plant grows with clustered stems, either climbing on other plants or forming thickets. The stems can reach 35m with a diameter up to 4 cm. The whitish or yellowish globose fruit, up to 1 cm in diam., are sometimes borne in pairs. In Tripura state, India, the palm flowers and fruits from November to January.
It grows at village margins and in scrub, forest edge and (locally) inside evergreen forest, from 0-600m elevation. In Cambodia it occurs in semi-dense forests and at the rear of mangrove formations.
As the palm is favoured by forest loss and tolerates harvesting well, it is of no conservation concern.
Life cycle
From seed to productSeed & germination
Ripe **seed** is collected and sown fresh or stored dry; germination is best on a moist, well-drained seedbed.
Seedling & growth
Young plants gain height, branch and build a stable canopy in their first growing season.
Flowering
In season the plant opens **small flowers on spadices, April–June**, adding colour and nectar for insects.
Fruiting & harvest
The crop reaches harvest height with firm stems; **5–7-year-old canes cut in the dry season; seed gathered from ripe fruit**.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Thailand25%
- India16%
- Vietnam15%
- Laos7%
- Indonesia6%
- Cambodia6%
- Myanmar (Burma)4%
- Other regions21%
References
- 1Calamus viminalis — Wikipedia — Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), 2026
- 2Calamus viminalis Willd. — International Plant Name Index (IPNI),
- 3Calamus viminalis Willd. — Plants of the World Online,
- 4Calamus viminalis Willd., Sp. Pl. 2: 203 (1799) — PalmWeb,
- 5GBIF — occurrence records of Calamus viminalis — GBIF, 2026