Calamus salicifolius

Native to south Vietnam and Cambodia[3], Calamus salicifolius, is commonly referred to as a rattan, it is one of many Calamus species of the Arecaceae, or palm, family. It is described as a little bushy plant, often climbing, even on itself, with a 2 to 4m long stalk.[4][5] It is found in deforested/severely degraded lowland areas and near houses, growing well in grasslands, scrub, roadside verges, ricefield bunds and peri-urban wastelands. Typically it occurs in floodplains with seasonal shallow flooding (or even deep, such as at Tonle Sap).

Calamus salicifolius

Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Calamus
Species:
C. salicifolius
Binomial name
Calamus salicifolius
Becc., Rec. Bot. Surv. India ii. 206 (1902)[1][2]
Synonyms
  • Calamus salicifolius var. leiophyllus Becc.[3]

Its conservation status is that of least concern.[5]

In Cambodia, vernacular names in Khmer include phdau rôpèak (phdau=rattan), rôpèak[4], ro peak[6], and robak (late 19th/early 20th Century)[7].

The fruits are eaten in Cambodia, but mostly by children.[4] Cane from the stems is used in basket making. From a commercial perspective, in Kampong Thom Province canes from the plant are highly available, but with low market value.[6] Its roots are used in traditional medicine in purgatives and to treat hypertension, they are also used to treat horses. Some present-day traditional healers in the Phnom Penh area describe the root and stem as having psah qualities, being able to quickly and efficiently heal infections, wounds, burns and repair internal and external tissue damage.[8] The plant is also mentioned in an end-of-19th-Century/beginning-of-20th-Century Khmer medical text, the neh tāmmrap kpuon thnāmm kae’ rog dan 4 (Here is the Medical Treatise to Cure the four [types of] Diseases), as part of a preparation to cure cerebral palsy.[7]

References
  1. "Calamus salicifolius Becc". International Plant Name Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  2. Evans, Tom D.; Sengdala, Khamphone; Thammavong, Banxa; Viengkham, Oulathong V.; John Dransfield (2002). "A Synopsis of the Rattans (Arecaceae: Calamoideae) of Laos and Neighbouring Parts of Indochina". Kew Bulletin. 57 (1): 1–84. doi:10.2307/4110822. JSTOR 4110822.
  3. "Calamus salicifolius Becc". Plants of the World Online (POWO). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  4. Pauline Dy Phon (2000). Plants Used In Cambodia/Plantes utilisées au Cambodge. Phnom Penh: Imprimerie Olympic. p. 499–500.
  5. "May la lieu, Calamus salicifolius". IUCN Red List. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  6. Boissiere, Manuel; & others (2013). "Improving the management of commercial Non-Timber Forest Products in Cambodia for the benefit of local communities" (PDF). Bois et Forets des Tropiques. 317 (3): 21–34. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  7. Chhem, Kieth Rethy; Antelme, Michel Rethy (2004). "A Khmer Medical Text "The Treatment of the Four Diseases" Manuscript" (PDF). Siksācakr. 6: 33–42. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  8. Chassagne, François; Deharoa, Eric; Punley, Hieng; Bourdy, Geneviève (2017). "Treatment and management of liver diseases by Khmer traditional healers practicing in Phnom Penh area, Cambodia". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 202: 38–53. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.002. PMID 28284791. Retrieved 15 April 2020.


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