Wild maranta
Stachyphrynium placentarium

Family: Marantaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 0.5-1 m tall. There are 1 or 2 leaves near the base. The leaf sheath is 3-50 cm long. There is one leaf on the stem. This leaf sheath is 3-5 cm long. The leaf stalk is 7.5-60 cm long. The leaf blade is oval and 25-55 cm long by 8-20 cm wide. They are thinly leathery. The base is rounded and it tapers to the tip. The flower arrangement does not has a stalk. It is made up of 4 or 5 or more small spikes. These are round and 308 cm across. There are 2 flowers per bract. They are white or yellowish. The fruit is oblong and about 1.2 cm across. It has a thin covering. There is 1 seed and it is oval and 1 cm across. It is surrounded by a red seed coat.

There are about 20 Phrynium species. They grow in tropical Asia.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in wet, shady places. In China it is in forests and along valleys from sea level to 1500 m altitude in S China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The leaves are used to wrap food to give it flavour. (The leaves are not eaten). The flower buds are used to make vinegar. The rhizome is boiled and eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves - flavour, flower buds, rhizome

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Gangru, Jian bao zhong ye, Maranta hutan, Traw prei

Synonyms

Maranta parviflora (Roxb.) A. Dietr.; Maranta placentaria (Lour.) A. Dietr.; Phrynium densiflorum Blume; Phrynium densiflorum Moritzi [Illegitimate]; Phrynium glabrum Ridl.; Phrynium parviflorum Roxb.; Phrynium placentarium (Lour.) Merr.; Phrynium sinicum Miquel; Phrynium tetranthum K. Schum.; Phyllodes densiflora (Blume) Kuntze; Phyllodes placentaria Loureiro;