Rhopalephora scaberrima

Family: Commelinaceae

What it is like

A herb. It has long branched rhizomes. The stems are creeper and curve up at the end. They are 50-100 cm long. The leaves are oval to sword shaped and 10-18 cm long by 2-5 cm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in forests in valleys between 800-2,100 m in southern China. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tibet, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The root is cooked and eaten.

Edible parts

Root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Khollomotsii

Synonyms

Aneilema protensum (Wight) Wall. ex Thwaites; Aneilema scaberrimum (Blume) Kunth; Commelina scaberrima Blume; Dictyospermum protensum Wight; Floscapa bambusifolia H. Lev.; Lamprodithyros protensus (Wight) Hassk. Phaeneilema scaberrimum (Blume) Raizada; Piletocarpus protensus (Wight) Hassk.; Pollia bambusifolia (H. Lev.) H. Lev.; Tradescantia scaberrima (Blume) Hassk.; and others