Abstract: The vessel elements of rettan canes in 24 species of Calamus and Daemonorops genera have been described. Only simple perforation plates occur in C. thysanolepis Hance. All the other species have both simple perforationplates and multiple perforation plates,but the proportion of the vessel elementswith multipleperforation plates is small, and most of them occur in the periphery of vascuclar zone. In addition, a few spiral vessel elements withmultiple perforation plates have been observed. From the stem bark to thecentre, the width of vessel elements in metaxylem increases; the length ofvessel elements in most of the species shows an increasing trend and partspecies contrary, or no regular pattern.

Key words: Vessel element, Rattan cane