Calamus australis

Calamus australis, commonly known as wait-a-while, hairy mary or lawyer cane, is a plant in the palm family Arecaceae which is endemic to the rainforests of north east Queensland, Australia. Like other species in the genus Calamus, this is a climbing plant with a very long and flexible stem. It uses sharp strong hooks on the fronds and tendrils to attach itself to other vegetation, such as taller established trees, thus gaining support that enables it to grow higher towards the canopy. This species is very similar to C. radicalis, with which it coexists, but is smaller in almost all respects.

Wait-a-while
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Calamus
Species:
C. Australis
Binomial name
Calamus Australis
Synonyms[3]
  • Palmijuncus australis (Mart.) Kuntze
  • Calamus amischus Burret
  • Calamus jaboolum F.M.Bailey
  • Calamus obstruens F.Muell.

Description

Stems may reach lengths of up to 35 m (110 ft) and a diameter of 2 cm (0.8 in).[4][5] The leaves (or fronds) are produced on the youngest part of the stem, and the older sections are bare as the leaves age and fall off (exactly the same process as the more familiar upright palm with a stout stem). The older, leafless part of the stem of Calamus australis is smooth and glossy green.[4][5]

The leaves have a long leaf sheath clasping the stem, which is densely covered with needle-like spines measuring up to 10 cm (3.9 in) long, but usually less. Tendrils, measuring several metres in length and armed with many stout, recurved barbs are produced from the leaf sheath. The leaf itself is pinnate, up to 1.5 m (5 ft) in length, and has around 20 to 25 pairs of leaflets.[4][5] Leaves are armed with stout recurved barbs on the lower surfaces of the rachis.[4][5] Unlike its very similar sister species C. radicalis, it does not have spines on the leaflets themselves. The overall outline of the leaf is elliptic and the longest leaflets are at the midpoint, measuring about 30 cm (12 in) long by 3 cm (1.2 in) wide.[4][5]

The inflorescences are pendulous panicles measuring up to 2 m (6.6 ft) in length, carrying either staminate (functionally male) or pistillate (functionally female) flowers.[4][5]

Fruits are a white or cream drupe, around 8 to 14 mm (0.3 to 0.6 in) diameter, with a scaly exterior.[4][5] They contain a single round seed which is surrounded by a thin layer of soft edible flesh.

Taxonomy

Calamus australis was first described 1838 by the German botanist Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius in volume 3 of his highly regarded work Historia naturalis palmarum.[2][3]

Distribution and habitat

This is the most widespread of the eight Australian species of Calamus.[4] It is endemic to tropical areas of Queensland, from the tip of Cape York Peninsula south to near Rockhampton on the Tropic of Capricorn, and from sea level to about 1,600 m (5,250 ft). It grows in gallery forest and well developed rainforest.[4][5]

Ecology

Fruits of this species are eaten by fruit doves (genus Ptilinopus) and cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius).[5][6]

Conservation

This species is listed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science as least concern.[1] As of 10 December 2022, it has not been assessed by the IUCN.

Uses

Indigenous Australians had many uses for this plant and its sister species. The young shoots were eaten, along with the fruits.[7] The long flexible stem was used to construct shelters, make axe handles, fish traps, snares, and waist straps for climbing trees,[4][7] and the thorny tendrils were used to catch fish.[7]

  • Rachis with spines
    Rachis with spines
  • Fruit
    Fruit
  • Foliage and stem
    Foliage and stem
  • Tendril
    Tendril
  • Underside of leaf, showing barbs on rachis
    Underside of leaf, showing barbs on rachis

References
  1. "Species profile—Calamus australis". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  2. "Calamus australis". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  3. "Calamus australis Mart.". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  4. Dowe, J.L.; Jones, D.L. (2022). "Calamus australis". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  5. F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Calamus australis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  6. Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 69. ISBN 9780958174213.
  7. Roberts, John; Fisher, Colin (CJ); Gibson, Roy (1995). A Guide to Traditional Aboriginal Rainforest Plant Use. Mossman, Queensland: Bamanga Bubu Ngadimumku Inc. p. 27. ISBN 0-646-22991-5.
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