Calamus is a genus of Old World climbers that produce rattan, a structural material used to make furniture of the same name.
Calamus is a genus of flowering plants in the palm family Arecaceae that are among several genera known as rattan palms. There are an estimated 400 species in this genus, all native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Africa, and Australia.[2][3][4]
They are dioecious,[5] mostly leaf-climbing lianas with slender, reedy stems. To aid scrambling some species have evolved hooks on the underside of the midrib, or more commonly by modified "pinnae" or tendrils in the form of stout, backward-pointing spines. These stems may grow to lengths of 200 metres.[6][7]
The fruits of certain species, in particular Calamus draco, produce a red resin known as "Dragon's blood".[8]
As of April 2022, Plants of the World Online recognises 415 species:[1]
The stems may be harvested for their cores, which are used for everything from canes to furniture.
Calamus is a genus of flowering plants in the palm family Arecaceae that are among several genera known as rattan palms. There are an estimated 400 species in this genus, all native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Africa, and Australia.
