Bulbifer corpse flower
Amorphophallus bulbifer

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A herb. It has round corms. They are 16 cm by 7-8 cm. The leaves are large and 1.5 m across. They are divided into leaflets. The stem is dark grey to green. They have white spots. The bulbils develop on the leaves. The flower spathe is 30 cm long by 20 cm wide and is pink inside. The flower group is a long tight bundle or spadix. This is 8-25 cm long and is pink. The flower emerges before the leaves.

Where it is found

A subtropical and tropical plant. It grows in monsoon forests up to 1,100 m above sea level. It grows in shady and moist areas in Bangladesh. Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Himalayas, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The leaf stalks are cooked and eaten. The shoots are boiled and eaten. The tubers (corms) are cooked and eaten. They are often cooked with meat.

It is a cultivated food plant.

Edible parts

Stalks, tuber, corm, leaves, stem, buds, bulbil

How it is grown

Plants are grown from tubers. The top section should be planted below ground. They can also be grown from leaf cuttings, bulbils and seed.

Its other names

Local names

Batema, Batet, Bunga bangkai bulbil, Buru ol, Devil's tongue, Dhara-oal, Hen salku, Hen sarilong, Hensarku, Jongli ool, Kadu suvaragedde, Kabei, Loregochha, Narikel, Olkochupata, Saldong, Songru, Taa, Telcong, Teldon, Thabema, Voodoo lily

Synonyms

Amorphophallus aculatum Hook.f.; Amorphophallus tuberculiger (Schott) Engl.; Arum bulbiferum Roxb.; and others