ຫວາຍຫອມ / Coriander Rattan

Wai hom is a clustering rattan with a stem up to 30 m long and 0.4 cm-1 cm in diameter. Stem sheaths are 0.5 cm-2 cm in diameter, dark green with dark
indumentums (covering of fine hairs). The spines are green with short black points, swollen and cone-shaped at the base, pointing slightly upwards and less than 0.5 cm long. It has an ocrea (sheath formed at the node of a stem) that is tiny and dry, with no spines or bristles. The leaves are 0.3 m-0.7 m long, dark green, the leafstalk smaller than 3 cm. Inflorescence are 0.3 m-0.7 m long with a flagellum. The scaly fruit is 2.5 cm x 1.7 cm, orange but straw-yellow when dry or unripe, and deeply channeled with ruminate seeds. Wai hom grows near streams in evergreen forest at 300 m-750 m, from Luang Namtha to Khammouane, and also in South Yunnan. Its high quality cane is very flexible and sells for $0.1-$0.2 per 5 m. Canes of 0.3 cm-1 cm diameter fetch $2.5-$5 per kg.