Long-leaf begonia
Begonia longifolia

Family: Begoniaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 2 m tall. It has short stout rhizomes. The stems are erect and branched. They are reddish-green. The leaves are sword shaped and oblique. They are 11-22 cm long by 2-11 cm wide. They taper to a long tip. The base is heart shaped. There are shallow teeth along the edge. They are shiny green above and more pale underneath. The leaf stalks are 15 cm long. The flowers are in groups of about 10 and are white to pale pink. The fruit is a flattened round capsule 1.5 cm across that hangs down.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in primary forests up to 2,200 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, India, Indonesia (country/location of origin), Malaysia, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The shoots and leaves are used to make pickles and jam. The flowers are acidic and eaten raw.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or by leaf or stem cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

A ei dan, Begonia daun panjang, Magarkachey, Pa gan song, Sekhupthur, Yao me che ge

Synonyms

Begonia crassirostris Irmsch.; Begonia inflata C. B. Clarke; Begonia tricornis Ridl.; Begonia trisulcata (A. DC.) Warb.; Casparya trisulcata A. DC.; Diploclinium longifolium (Blume) Miq.;