Calamus manillensis (Mart.) H. Wendl. Arecaceae

Abstract

Botany and EcologyDescription: A large, climbing, slender, and spiny palm. The leaves are large linearlanceolate pinnate leaflets about 16 in. long  4 to 5 cm wide, pinnate and stout, hooked, rather sparse spines (Coronel 2011). The spiny stems with hard leaf sheath grow long up to 20 m or more. The terminal whip measures 2 m long (Madulid 2017). Inflorescence is yellow and leaf opposed. Fruits are branched and arching racemes, about 3 cm long, light cream, oblong or globose, 2 cm in diameter, scaly and yellowish berry with dark markings; flesh acidic and semitransparent (Merril 1912). Phenology: Late May to November are harvesting months of the fruits (Tesoro n.d.) most especially August to September (Alicay and Balatico 2018). Fruiting season is from November to January (Baja-Lapis 2009).