Common Name:

General Information

Calamus oxleyanus is a spiny, evergreen, climbing palm, usually producing a single, slender, unbranched stem up to 5 metres long that is rather weakly climbing[, , ].
The stems are harvested from the wild for local use.
This species appears to have a wide range with separate subpopulations. At present it does not meet the criteria for a threatened category, however, across its range the lowland forest habitat in which it occurs is being cleared rapidly. The extent to which the species may be in decline from this threat is difficult to determine. The plant is currently classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

Slopes and ridges in lowland and hill dipterocarp forests[]. Lowland rain forest. It has also been reported from kerangas, heath, and dipterocarp forest often on ridges or steep slopes and on ultra-basic soils[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Most species in this genus are more or less vigorous climbing plants in rainforests. Leaves of young plants are normally damaged if exposed to too much light, though leaves of older plants will usually tolerate full sun. In general, plants are likely to grow best with their roots in the shade but with enough gap in the canopy to encourage their stems to grow up towards the light. They are also likely to grow best in a humus-rich soil[]. Many of the species require fairly moist conditions for good growth, in fact several of them grow in wet soils or in areas with seasonal inundation - where we have the information it will be included under the plant’s habitat. This speciest is often found in the wild in Kerangas forest - a type of moist, heath forest found on acidic, sandy soils that are low in nutrients, especially nitrogen[].
Overhead shade should be manipulated at about 6-monthly intervals for the first 2 - 3 years of a young plant’s life to ensure they receive sufficient light to grow vigorously. About 40 - 50% light penetration is generally considered to be ideal for promoting stem growth.
Little care is needed once the seedlings are established. It is important, however, to weed the area surrounding the seedlings occasionally until the plants are more than 2 metres tall.
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Although we have no specific information for this species, many members of this genus have potentially edible young shoots. Indeed, in Laos the shoots are considered to be a delicacy and over half the species growing there are said to be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The top 100cm of the plant is used. If the leaf sheaths are left in place until just before cooking then the shoot will remain fresh for up to one week[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The stems are used for making walking sticks[, ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a fairly short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe.

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