Calamus caryotoides

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms > Monocots > Alismatales > Arecales > Arecaceae > Calamus  caryotoides

Other links:     

Plant  information

Common name:                 Fishtail Lawyer Cane

Conservation status: . . .

Etymology:   

Flowers:                  

Fruit:                         

Leaves:         

• Dark green, glossy, fish-tail shaped leaves reaching up to 15 m high (5 m spread)

• Very thin hooked flagella

Stem & branches: 

• Very thin (12 mm ) flexible trunks

• No crownshaft

• Small spikes

Habit:        

• Forest climbing palm

Habitat:   

• It tends to clump and grow up into the shaded understory of Queensland's wet tropical forests, and is a close relative of the more infamous Calamus radicalis (aka Wait-a-While)

Distribution:     

•  North-East Queensland 

Additional notes:        

• The Cairns Botanical Gardens records local Yidinydji, Yirrganyydji, Djabuganydji, and Gungganydji use Calamus caryotoides as follows:

  • The thin flexible trunks of this (and other) climbing palm made ideal building frames, or rope and string when split

  • The young shoots were eaten to cure headaches

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamus_caryotoides (Jan 2024)