Shivani Kagra* & K.L. Dahiya**

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* Pursuing Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgeory; Lal Bhadur Shastri Mahila Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Bilaspur (Yamuna Nagar), Haryana, India

** Kurukshetra Global City, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India

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Vernacular name:

English: Rattan Cane

Kannada: Handibetta, Jeddu betta, Kumaari bettha

Konkani: Veta

Malayalam: Aanaccuural, Thatiyan cuural, Valiya chural, Valiya cuural

Marathi: Veta

Tamil: Vanchi

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Plantae – plantes, Planta, Vegetal, plants

Subkingdom: Viridiplantae

Infrakingdom: Streptophyta – land plants

Superdivision: Embryophyta

Division: Tracheophyta – vascular plants, tracheophytes

Subdivision: Spermatophytina – spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames

Class: Magnoliopsida

Superorder: Lilianae – monocots, monocotyledons, monocotylédones

Order: Arecales

Family: Arecaceae

Genus: Calamus L. – calamus

Species: Calamus thwaitesii Becc. - Rattan Cane

Phytogeography: Found in Southern India including Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharastra, Tamil Nadu and Central and southern forests upto 1500 meter height.

Description: A strong climber, about 10 meter or more long. Stems are clustered, climbing, up to 6 cm in diameter.

Leaves: Leaf sheaths are yellow-green with brown hairs, with ridges of black, strongly flattened, up to 4 cm long spines, interspersed among many short spines. Flagella are present, up to 9 meter long. Leaf rachis is up to 3 meter long, with up to 30 lance shaped leaflets per side, irregularly arranged.

Flowers: Flower clusters are up to 7 meter long, flagellate.

Fruits: Ovoid, up to 2.5 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter, dull orange or yellowish brown.

Propagation: Shoot proliferation

Parts used: Rhizomes

Pharmacological actions: Antifertility; Antileprosy; Antipyretic.

Medicinal uses: Bleeding disorder; Diarrhoea; Erysepales; Fever; Leprosy; Metabolic disorder; Skin diseases; Ulcers.

Other uses: Provides a medium-quality, large-diameter cane used in furniture making and basketry.

Dosage and administration: Rhizomes: 3-6 gm in powder form

References

Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee, 2008, “The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Volume VI,” New Delhi, India: Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).

Dahanukar S.A., Kulkarni R.A. and Rege N.N., 2000, “Pharmacology of medicinal plants and natural products,” Indian journal of pharmacology; 32(4): S81-S118. [Web Reference]

Flowers of India, “Rattan Cane,” Retrieved on November 18, 2017. [Web Reference]

Henderson A., 2009, “Palms of southern Asia,” Princeton University Press; p. 89. [Web Reference]

ITIS, 2017, “Calamus L.,” Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, Retrieved on November 18, 2017. [Web Reference]

Ramanayake S.M.S.D., 1999, “Viability of excised embryos, shoot proliferation and in-vitro flowering in a species of rattan Calamus thwaitesii Becc,” The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology; 74(5): 594-601. [Web Reference]