Drop tongue
Schismatoglottis calyptrata

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A herb. It is a taro family plant without stems but a long, stout rhizome. It is 30-60 cm high. The leaves are oval with heart shaped bases. The leaf is 20 cm long by 13 cm wide. It has up to 20 pairs of side veins. The leaf stalk is 30 cm long. It has a sheath near the base. The large leaf like structure around the flower is 6-7 cm long. It is constricted at the middle. The flower stalk is almost equally divided between male and female flowers. After maturity the male part falls off.

There are 100-120 Schismatoglottis species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is common in humid places in Papua New Guinea. It occurs in sago-palm mangrove locations. It suits shady places. It grows in dense tropical forests, under forest or on rocks between 740-880 m in China. It grows along streams. In Java it grows up to 1,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Taiwan, Vanuatu, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The tubers are boiled twice. Sometimes the second boiling is in coconut milk. The leaves are also cooked and eaten. The flowers can be cooked and eaten. The berries are cooked and eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves, roots, flowers, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from sections of the rhizome or underground stem. They can also be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Alapayi, Guang xi luo yan, Lidah jatuh, Mon doc, Mon vout, Njampon, Nyampon, Pikaw, Salimpar, Solempat, Wewehan

Synonyms

Alocasia neoguineensis (Linden ex Andre) Sieber & Voss [Invalid]; Calla calyptrata Roxburgh; Colocasia humilis Hassk.; Colocasia neoguineensis Linden ex Andre; Homalomena calyptrata (Roxb.) Kunt; Schismatoglottis acutangula Engl.; Schismatoglottis angustifolia Alderw.; Schismatoglottis bitaeniata Engl.; Schismatoglottis calyptrata f. minor Engl.; Schismatoglottis calyptratoides Alderw.; Schismatoglottis cordifolia Ridl.; Schismatoglottis djamuensis Engl.; Schismatoglottis dorensis Gibbs; Schismatoglottis emarginata Engl.; Schismatoglottis hellwigiana Engl.; Schismatoglottis klossii Ridl.; Schismatoglottis longipes Miquel; Schismatoglottis maculata Alderw.; Schismatoglottis muluensis M. Hotta; Schismatoglottis neoguineensis (Linden ex Andre) N. E. Br.; Schismatoglottis nieuwenhuisii Engl.; Schismatoglottis parvifolia Alderw.; Schismatoglottis picta Schott; Schismatoglottis potamophila Alderw.; Schismatoglottis pseudocalyptrata Alderw.; Schismatoglottis riparia Schott.; Schismatoglottis ruttenii Alderw.; Schismatoglottis sublaxiflora Alderw.; Schismatoglottis tenuifolia Engl.; Schismatoglottis vanvuurenii Alderw.; Schismatoglottis variegata N. E. Br.; Zantedeschia calyptrata Koch;