rattans-an important non wood forest product

rattans-an important non wood forest product

1. R attans- Distribution and utility

2. Rattans are climbing palms belonging to the Calamoideae , a large subfamily of the palm family (Palmae or Arecaceae ). There are around 600 different species of rattan belonging to 13 genera. These are concentrated solely in the Old World tropics; there are no true rattans in the New World,   All of the species within the Calamoideae are characterized by overlapping reflexed scales on the fruit, and all are spiny, a necessary pre-adaptation to the climbing habit . Also, they are not  trees  but are vine-like  lianas , scrambling through and over other vegetation. Rattans are also superficially similar to  bamboo . Unlike bamboo, rattan stems are solid and most species need structural support and cannot stand on their own. 

3. Many rattans have  spines  which act as hooks to aid climbing over other plants, and to deter  herbivores . Rattans have been known to grow up to hundreds of meters long. They are mainly distributed in tropical, subtropical and lower temperate belts. Rattans can be seen in evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous and subtropical evergreen type forests. They are rare in dry deciduous forests, and are absent in mangrove forests…. .

4. Most (70%) of the world's rattan population exist in  Indonesia . The rest of the world's supply comes from the  Philippines ,  Sri Lanka ,  Malaysia , and   Bangladesh The range of rattans extends from sea level to more than 3 000 m elevation, from equatorial rain forests to monsoon savannahs and the foothills of the Himalayas. Thus the large number of rattan species is matched by great ecological adaptation and diversity.

5. In India 60 species representing 5 genera while from North-eastern region of India a total of 20 rattan species and 3 varieties under 4 genera have been reported. Among these, Calamus accounts for 14, Plectocomia for 4 and Daemonorops and Salaca for 1 species each. The species are distributed in the evergreen, semi-evergreen to deciduous forests of the region. Out of these 20 species, 14 species are being threatened including eleven endemic species

6. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF RATTANS

7. Rattan chair Rattans are extensively used for making baskets and  furniture . When cut into sections, rattan can be used as wood to make furniture. Rattan accepts  paints  and  stains  like many other kinds of wood, so it is available in many colours , and it can be worked into many styles. Moreover, the inner core can be separated and worked into  wicker .

8. Clothing Traditionally, the women of the  Wemale  ethnic group of  Seram Island ,  Indonesia  wore rattan  girdles  around their waist Corporal punishment Thin rattan canes were the standard implement for  school corporal punishment  in England and Wales , and S till used for this purpose in schools in Malaysia, Singapore, and several African countries . 

9. Food source Some rattan fruits are edible, with a sour taste akin to citrus. The  fruit  of some rattans exudes a red  resin  called  dragon's blood ; this resin was thought to have medicinal properties in antiquity and was used as a dye for  violins , among other things. The resin normally results in a wood with a light peach hue. In the Indian state of  Assam , the shoot is also used as vegetable.

10. Medicinal potential In early 2010, scientists in Italy announced that rattan wood would be used in a new "wood to bone" process for the production of  artificial bone . The process takes small pieces of rattan and places it in a furnace.  Calcium  and  carbon  are added. The wood is then further heated under intense pressure in another oven-like machine, and a phosphate solution is introduced.

11. Handicraft and arts Many of the properties of rattan that make it suitable for furniture also make it a popular choice for handicraft and art pieces. Uses include rattan baskets, plant containers, and other decorative works. Due to its durability and resistance to splintering, sections of rattan can be used as   canes , crooks for high-end  umbrellas , or  staves  for  martial arts .

12. Shelter material Most natives or locals from the rattan rich countries employ the aid of this sturdy plant in their home building projects. It is heavily used as a housing material in rural areas. The skin of the plant or wood is primarily used for weaving. Sports equipment Rattan cane is also used traditionally to make polo mallets, though only a small portion of cane harvested (roughly 3%) is strong, flexible, and durable enough to be made into sticks for polo mallets, and popularity of rattan mallets is waning next the more modern variant, fibrecanes . polo mallets fibrecanes