Daemonorops draco
(Willd.) Blume
Arecaceae
It has been proposed - William J.Baker; A revised delimitation of the rattan genus Calamus (Arecaceae), Phytotaxa 197 (2): 139-152; 2015 - that the genera Ceratolobus, Daemonorops, Pogonotium and Retispatha should all be subsumed into a revised and expanded concept of the genus Calamus. This revised treatment has been accepted in the 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families' and is likely to recieve further acceptance. For the time being, until there is wider acceptance of this change, we are not moving these species across into Calamus. The new name for this species in Calamus will be Calamus draco Willd.[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Calamus draco Willd.
Calamus draconis Oken
Daemonorops propinqua Becc.
Palmijuncus draco (Willd.) Kuntze
Common Name: Dragon's Blood
Fruits for sale
Photograph by: Ramon FVelasquez
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Fruits for sale
Photograph by: Ramon FVelasquez
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
The crushed incense and ground apothecary's or pigment grade
Photograph by: Andy Dingley
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Close-up of the fruits
Photograph by: Ramon FVelasquez
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Daemonorops drace is an evergreen climbing palm producing a cluster of unbranched stems up to 15 metres long that climb into the surrounding vegetation[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
548- Title
- Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden Calcutta. Vol. 12, Pt. 1
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beccari O.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Bengal Secretariat Press; Calcutta.
- Year
- 1911
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Daemonorops. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for its resin, medicinal uses and to supply material for basket making. This is probably the main species supplying the resin, though several others are also a source of it. The resin is sold in local markets and sometimes traded internationally[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
548- Title
- Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden Calcutta. Vol. 12, Pt. 1
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beccari O.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Bengal Secretariat Press; Calcutta.
- Year
- 1911
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Daemonorops. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
Southeast Asia - Thailand to Indonesia.
Habitat
Lowland primary dipterocarp forest[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Evergreen Climber |
Height | 12.00 m |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of moist lowland tropical areas.
Most species in this genus are more or less vigorous climbing plants in rainforests. In general, they 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[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
This species is one of several that supply a red resin from their stem. This resin, often known as 'Dragon's Blood' is often used as an external application to treat a range of skin problems and injuries[
1754- Title
- A Systematic Review of the Botanical, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Dracaena cochinchinensis, a Plant
- Publication
- Molecules 2014, 19, 10650-10669; doi:10.3390/molecules190710650
- Author
- Jia-Yi Fan et al
- Website
- http://10.3390/molecules190710650
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
- 1420-3049
- Description
-
]. Dragon's Blood can be obtained from several species in this genus, as well as from three other distinct genera - Dracaena species, Croton species and Pterocarpus species[
1754- Title
- A Systematic Review of the Botanical, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Dracaena cochinchinensis, a Plant
- Publication
- Molecules 2014, 19, 10650-10669; doi:10.3390/molecules190710650
- Author
- Jia-Yi Fan et al
- Website
- http://10.3390/molecules190710650
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
- 1420-3049
- Description
-
]
Harvesting is done by climbing a tree near the plant and hand picking the fruits. Old fruits contain more resin[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
A clump of the plant produces around 50 kilos of dragon blood fruits[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
548- Title
- Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden Calcutta. Vol. 12, Pt. 1
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beccari O.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Bengal Secretariat Press; Calcutta.
- Year
- 1911
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Daemonorops. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Edible Uses
The resin obtained from the fruit scales is used as a red flavouring and colouring in non-alcoholic drinks[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Medicinal
The resin was formerly valued as a medicine in Europe because of its astringent properties, though it is little used there at present[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
The resin is astringent and stimulant[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. Internally, it is used to alleviate chest pains, post-partum bleeding, internal traumas, and menstrual irregularities[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
The resin is used externally as a wash to further healing and stop bleeding[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
]. It has been used in dentifrices and as a mouth wash[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Dragon’s blood is brittle, feebly sweetish or almost tasteless and odourless[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
Other Uses
An orange to red resin, known as 'dragon's blood', is extracted from the fruit scales and leaf sheaths[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
]. It is used as dye for textiles, baskets, varnishes, toothpastes, tinctures, and plasters for dyeing horns to imitate tortoise shells. It is also used in varnishes and lacquers, especially on violins, where it gives a mahogany-like stain; and in photo engraving on zinc, where it protects the metal parts that are not to be etched[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
Extraction of the resin can be by dry or wet methods. Dry extraction is done by sun-drying the collected fruits and then crushing them. The resulting resin is screened and flushed with hot water to form a batter. The resin is turned into granules, sticks and powder[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
]. Alternatively, the fruits are first dried and the resin then removed by rubbing the fruit with cockle shells[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The resin so collected is processed by wrapping in a cloth, dampening in hot water and then being squeezed[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The best dragon blood comes in cylinder form of 30 - 35cm in length and 20 - 25mm in thickness and when dissolved in alcohol the residue content is below 9%[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
For wet-extraction, the crushed fruits are boiled in water, but the dyes extracted in this way are of inferior quality[
984- Title
- Speciality Rattans of the ASEAN
- Publication
- Blumea 54, pp 39 - 43
- Author
- A. C. Baja-Lapis
- Website
- http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea
- Publisher
- National Herbarium, Nederland.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A description of the uses and agricultural practices for 11 selected species of rattan.
].
The cane appears to be of good quality for use in basketry etc[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The long and slender stems of rattan are put to various uses according to their size, length, flexibility, elasticity and toughness. The most slender canes are employed entire for binding purposes, and in making chairs, blinds, mats, wicker or basketwork, fishing implements, etc. Twisted together, they make very strong cables. The largest and more resistent canes are used entire as cables, the framework of wicker chairs etc. Usually, however, for many purposes the stems are split throughout their length into 2 - 4 or more strips from which the inner soft brittle and spongy portion is removed by means of a knife or same other instrument, so as to leave the external portion, which is hard, tough, flexible, elastic and has its outer surface very clean and smooth as if it had been varnished[
983- Title
- Annals of the Royal Botanical Garden, Calcutta Vol. XI and Appendix
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dr Odoardo Beccari
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta
- Year
- 1908
- ISBN
-
- Description
- This volume of the journal is dedicated entirely to a monograph of the genus Calamus, which remains an important treatment over 100 years later.
].
Strips vary in width according to the use to which they are to be put. Those for delicate work, such as the network of furniture, small bags, hats, etc, are from 1 - 3mm wide; those employed as lashings in native housebuilding or in fastening the removable head of the Malay axe to its handle are from 5-6 mm wide[
983- Title
- Annals of the Royal Botanical Garden, Calcutta Vol. XI and Appendix
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dr Odoardo Beccari
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta
- Year
- 1908
- ISBN
-
- Description
- This volume of the journal is dedicated entirely to a monograph of the genus Calamus, which remains an important treatment over 100 years later.
].
Collecting and preparing the stems is very simple. The stem is cut near the ground and detached from the trees by taking a strong hold of its base and thus pulling down the entire plant with its leaves. The most recent growth at the top of the plant is removed and then, handling it from the upper end, the stem is forcibly drawn in the opposite direction between two pieces of wood, thus removing the spiny coverings. It is then cut into lengths of about 5 metres, each piece is bent into two equal parts and the stems are fastened into bundles ready for market. The most valued stems are not thicker than a man's little finger and have a fine polished straw-yellow glassy surface[
983- Title
- Annals of the Royal Botanical Garden, Calcutta Vol. XI and Appendix
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dr Odoardo Beccari
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta
- Year
- 1908
- ISBN
-
- Description
- This volume of the journal is dedicated entirely to a monograph of the genus Calamus, which remains an important treatment over 100 years later.
].
Propagation
Seed -