Sauromatum horsfieldii

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A large herb. It has a round tuber that produces annual offsets. The leaf stalk can be striped or spotted. It is green or purple. It is 35-60 cm long. The leaf blade is pale green underneath sometimes with scattered red spots. It is dark green above. There are 7-13 lobes. These are narrowly oval to sword shaped. The flower stalk is 5-20 cm long. The spathe around the flower can be red to brown with spots. It is pale inside.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in forests and grasslands between 100-3,100 m above sea level in south China. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The corms are boiled and eaten. Caution: Many plants in this group contain oxalates that burn the throat and affect calcium absorption.

Edible parts

Corms, roots

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Tel-hawng-nu

Synonyms

Arisaema submonoicum Gagnep.; Heterostalis pedata (Schott) Schott; Pedatyphonium calcicola (C. Y. Wu ex H. Li et al) J. Murata & Ohi-Toma; Pedatyphonium horsfieldii (Miq.) J. Murata & Ohi-Toma; Pedatyphonium larsenii (S. Y. Hu) J. Murata & Ohi-Toma; Sauromatum horsfieldii Miq.; Typhonium calcicola C. Y. Wu ex H. Li, Y. Shiao & S. L. Tseng; Typhonium fallax N. E. Br.; Typhonium kerrii Gagnep.; Typhonium kungmingense H. Li; Typhonium kunmingense H. Li; Typhonium kunmingense var. alatum H. Li; Typhonium kunmingense var. cerebriforme H. Li; Typhonium larsenii S. Y. Hu; Typhonium pedatum Schott;