| Calamus caryotoides | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Subfamily: | Calamoideae |
| Tribe: | Calameae |
| Genus: | Calamus |
| Species: | C. caryotoides |
| Binomial name | |
| Calamus caryotoides Mart. |
|
Calamus caryotoides (also Palmijuncus caryotoides), more commonly known as Fishtail Lawyer Cane is a North-East Queensland tropical forest climbing palm with very thin (12 mm) flexible trunks; no crownshaft; small spikes; dark green, glossy, fish-tail shaped leaves reaching up to 15 m high (5m spread); and very thin hooked flagella[1]
It tends to clump and grow up into the shaded understory of Queensland's wet tropical forests, and is a close relative of the more infamous Calamus radicalis (aka Wait-a-While).[1][2]
The Cairns Botanical Gardens records local Yidinydji, Yirrganyydji, Djabuganydji, and Gungganydji use of the Fishtail Lawyer cane (also known to Yidinydji as Bugul, pronounced BOOK-KOOL) as follows:
The thin flexible trunks of this (and other) climbing palm made ideal building frames, or rope and string when split. The young shoots were eaten to cure headaches.[2]