Abstract

Calamus metzianus is one of the small-diameter rattans from Kerala. Most of these have a high specific gravity, low initial moisture content, low percentage of volumetric shrinkage, and narrow metaxylem vesselsC. metzianus has the opposite physicalcharacteristics. An investigation of the anatomy of this species, in comparison with that of C. travancoricus (a small-diameter rattan) and C. thwaitesii (a large-diameter rattan), showed that C. metzianus had an exceptionally low fibre content, relatively more thin walled fibres, and relatively wide metaxylem vessels (compared with other small-diameter rattans) . Data representing these findings (and illustrating other anatomical characteristics of the 3 species) are tabulated, based on a study of samples taken from the third internode from the base. The findings account for the ease of breakage of C. metzianus