Calamus australis

Calamus australis

(Lawyer Cane, Wait-a-while, Hairy Mary)

FAMILY

Arecaceae

Species

Calamus australis

Common name(s)

Lawyer Cane, Wait-a-while, Hairy Mary

Fruit colour: life form

White; climber

Campus

Cairns, Townsville

Description

This climbing palm has numerous recurved hooks on the leaf sheath and base of the pinnate leaf. The long whip-like flagella to 3 m long also bears numerous hooks. Fruit white, scaly to 1 cm diameter. It is related to the Asian rattan palms that are used to make furniture.