Conservation and restoration of feathers shaft and the vane. The shaft is composed of the calamus and the rachis. The calamus can also be called the quill and is the hollow portion of the shaft that enters the skin follicle. While the rachis is the solid portion of the shaft where the barbs attach. The vane extends to either side of the rachis and is made up of interconnecting barbs. This is considered the most substantial portion of the feather. Removing debris and organic matter from feathers is a key step in the conservation process. Here are several of the ways that feathers are typically
Calamus rotang plants. It has pinnate, alternate leaves, 60–80 cm long, armed with two rows of spines on the upper face. The plants are dioecious, and flowers are clustered in attractive inflorescences, enclosed by spiny spathes. The edible fruits are top-shaped, covered in shiny, reddish-brown imbricate scales, and exude an astringent red resin known medicinally and commercially as "Dragon's blood". The canes are sought-after and expensive, but have to a large extent been replaced by sticks made from plants, such as bamboos, rushes and osier willows. Calamus rotang Calamus rotang is a plant species native to India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar (Burma).