Calamus thwaitesii Becc. & Hook.f.

Common Name: Pannichural, Thadiyan chural, Vandichural
Acc. No. 125

Distribution: Seen throughout the Western Ghats. This species grows in the evergreen, semi evergreen and moist deciduous forests between 75 to 900 m asl. Seen inside teak plantations also (Renuka, 1992b).

Provenance collected: Seeds were collected from different populations representing the variations. Populations represented are from Goa, Achencoil, Kulathupuzha, Katilappara and Ariencavu.

Nature of species: This is the thickest cane available in the Western Ghats. Very robust, clump forming, large diameter rattan, stem without sheaths to 3.5 cm in diameter. Definite variations were reported between the populations of northern and southern regions of W. Ghats (Renuka et al., 1998). Among the populations of southern region also variations were noted in the diameter of the stem and in the nature and arrangement of spines on the leaf sheath.

Flowering: June – July.

Fruiting: April – May.

Conservation status:Considered as at ‘Lower Risk’(Renuka, 2001).

Uses: This is a very strong cane and graded as Class 1 (Bhat, 1992). Used extensively in the furniture industry. A good cane for making walking sticks and sports goods.

References: Renuka, C.,Bhat,K.V.,Pandalai,R.C. 2010. Rattans of India. Kerala Forest Research Institute,Peechi,Thrissur,Kerala.pp.133-136