Calamus meghalayensis A. Henderson

Mehmud, Selim & Roy, Himu, 2021, Diversity and distribution of palms (Arecaceae) in Assam, India, Check List 17 (1), pp. 69-93 : 78

Calamus meghalayensis A. Henderson

Figure 5C, D

Diagnostic characters. Stems clustered, climbing, ca 5 m long, with leaf sheath 0.8–1 cm in diameter; indu- mentums white; spines horizontal, linear 4–5 mm long; flagella ca 80 cm long. Knee ca 1.4 cm long; ocrea incon- spicuous, ca 5 mm long, bristly. Leaf pinnate, ecirriate, ca 50 cm long; leaflets 4–5 per side, in groups, lanceolate, ensiform, 20–25 cm long, 2–3 cm wide, serrated, acute, terminal leaflets connate, rarely free. Inflorescences ca 1.2 m long, flagella ca 25 cm long; bracts mouth bristly; staminate partial inflorescences 3–4 in number, 4–10 cm long; rachillae alternate, ca 1 cm long, scorpoid; pistillate partial inflorescences 8–10 cm long, rachillae alternate, straight, 1–4 cm long with dyad flowers. Fruits globose or ellipsoid, ca 1.6 cm long, perianth explanate.

Flowering and fruiting. August to March and January, respectively.

Distribution. Karmup Rural district; near streams.

Vernacular names. Chorebukla (Rabha); Nari Bet (Rabha, Assamese).

Uses. As binding material (cane).

Material examined. INDIA • Assam, Kamrup , Jara Reserve; 24 May 1957; G. Panigrahi leg.; CAL . • 1 ♂; Assam, Kamrup Rural , Rajapara; 25°52′36.98″N, 091°26′26.35″E; 08 Sep. 2019; S. Mehmud leg.; CH, AS- SAM 96229 . • 1♀; same collection data as per preceding; CH, ASSAM 96230 .