Calamus perakensis (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Calamus perakensis Becc.

Family: Palmae

Vernacular names

• Malaysia: rotan dudok.

Distribution

Western Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia.

Uses

The cane is occasionally used to make walkingsticks.

Observations

Three varieties are recognized, var. perakensis , var. crassus J. Dransf. and var. niger J. Dransf. All varieties are without leafsheath knee, flagellum and cirrus. Var. perakensis , a clustering and shortstemmed variety, is found in Peninsular Malaysia and western Sumatra; var. crassus , known in Malaysia as "tekok gunung", and var. niger are solitary, erect and shortstemmed rattans. The large inflorescence bracts of var. crassus distinguish it from the other and it is endemic to Terengganu. Var. niger is endemic to Johor.

Selected sources

14, 35.