Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets

Bauhinia tomentosa

Edible parts : Leaves, Seeds, Flowers

A shrub or small tree growing up to 1-8 m tall. It often has drooping branches. The small branches can be smooth or softly hairy. The leaves vary in shape but are more or less round. They are 1-10 cm long and 1-11 cm wide. They are divided into rounded lobes for about half their length. The leaf stalk is 1-3 cm long. The flowers hang over and are bell shaped. Mostly the flowers occur in pairs in the axils of leaves. They can also occur on up to 7 flowered stalks. The petals are lemon yellow. Sometimes they have a purple blotch. The petals overlap. There are 10 stamens. The fruit are straight long pods 7-15 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. They are rather woody and open naturally.

Distribution A tropical plant. It grows at low altitude woodland and along rivers. It needs well drained soil. It can be in coastal dune bush. In East Africa it grows from sea level to 2,100 m above sea level. In XTBG Yunnan. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Brisbane Botanical gardens

Other names :

Adavimandaramu, Aptu, Bohinia kuning, Ching-kho-dok-lue-ang, Iruvaji, Kachnar, Kanjanam, Katondo-tondo, Kupu-kupu, Lahkyang, Mahahlega-wa, Micorra, Mong bo hoa chanh, Mong-bo vang, Muandia, Mucorra, Mulema, Murema, Musaponi, Phalgu, Pilo asundro, Pita kanchana, Tali kancu, Tapak kuda,

Alvesia bauhinioides Welw.;
Alvesia tomentosa (L.) Britton & Rose;
Bauhinia pubescens DC.;
Bauhinia tomentosa var. glabrata Hook.f.;
Bauhinia volkensii Taub.;
Bauhinia wituensis Harm;
Pauletia tomentosa (L.) A. Schmitz;

 

Piper nigrum

Edible : Seed, Spice, Herb, Fruit

A climbing, green, leafy vine. It is woody. The nodes are enlarged. The plant has roots on the main stem which attach to tree trunks. The vines can be 8-10 m long. The leaf stalk is 1-2 cm long. The leaf blade is oval and 10-15 cm long by 5-9 cm wide. It is thick and leathery. The base is rounded and it tapers to a short tip. The flowers are usually of one sex but many flowers occur together. The spikes are opposite the leaves. The spikes are 3-3.5 cm long by 0.8 mm wide. They can be 10 cm long. It has clusters of berries on the side branches. The berries are red when ripe. They are 3-4 mm across.

Distribution It is a tropical plant. It grows from sea level up to at least 1100 m altitude in equatorial places. It suits areas with a temperature between 24° and 26°C. It cannot tolerate frost. It likes high humidity and shade. It does best with a rainfall between 1200 and 2500 mm per year. It has been planted in commercial stands in a few coastal areas of Papua New Guinea. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It originally came from the tropics of India. It occurs in the Western Ghats in India. It suits hardiness zones 10-12

Other Names :

Black pepper, Bumawng-ru, Gol morich, Hapusha, Jaluk, Kajmurch, Kalamari, Kalamorich, Kalimirch, Kalomirich, Kapidi, Kare menasu, Konda miriyam, Kurumulaku, Lada hitam, Lada puteh, Lado ketek, Lado kobon, Maricha, Merica, Micha, Milagu, Mire, Miriyala tige, Morshaidi, Nallamulaku, Nga-yok-kaung, Paminta, Pappaa, Pedes, Pepe nero, Pfeffer, Phrik tai, Pimenta negra, Pimienta, Poivre, Priktai, Sayo-me, U-pinlong, Ushana, White pepper, Zwarte,

Muldera multinervis Miq.;

Piper interruptum

Edible : Stem

A slender vine. The stem is 2 cm across. The leaves are 8-12 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. The leaf stalk is 1-1.5 cm long. The flowers are opposite the leaves. The flowering shoots are 7-9 cm long.

Distribution It is a tropical plant. In north Australia it grows from sea level to 750 m above sea level

Other Names :

Sakhan, Chili wood, 

Piper interruptum var. multinervum C. DC.;

Possibly Piper triandrum F. Muell.;

The stem is used as a flavouring. It is very spicy, with peppery and chilli tones,

Combretum indicum

Edible : Fruit, Seeds, Leaves, Stems

A scrambling shrub or vine. The stem is strong and woody. It branches freely. It can climb to 20 m high. The plant is erect and shrub like when young. The twigs have soft brown hairs when young. The leaves are opposite and oblong. They have heart shaped bases. They are 8-18 cm long and 4-6 cm wide. They have long sharp tips and prominent veins. The flowers are at the ends of branches or in the axils of leaves, sometimes in large clusters. There are broad bracts near the flowers. The flowers have a smell and vary between white, pink and purple. The colour changes and darkens over 3 days. The fruit is narrow and long. It is dry and light and has 5 wings along the sides.

Distribution : It is a tropical plant. It does best in light well-drained soils. It prefers an open sunny position. It is damaged by drought and frost. It needs a temperature above 13°C. It is common amongst shrubs in hot dry valleys throughout the Philippines. It is often cultivated as an ornamental woody vine. It can grow in arid places. In XTBG Yunnan. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Other Names :

Akar dani, Akar pontianak, Ara dani, Barmasi vel, Bidani, Ceguk, Cheguk, Dani, Dawe-hmaing-nwe, Espuelo de gallo, Ettaguttilativva, Ilengaramalligai, Indian Jessamine, Irangunmalli, Kachekluk, Kasunbal, Lalachameli, Leb-mue-nang, Lep mu nang, Lep-mue-naang, Mawk-nang-nang, Niog-nigan, Quisqual, Rangonimalle, Rangoon-ki-bel, Rangunachavel, Redani, Sak sehs, Selimpas, Su quan tu, Tagulo, Tangolon, Tangulo, Tartaraok, Tige-ganneru, Udani, Urdani, Wedani,

Combretum indicum (L.) Jongkind;
Kleinia quadricolor Crantz;
Mekistus sinensis Lour. ex B. A. Gomes;
Quisqualis ebracteata P. Beauv.;
Quisqualis glabra Burm. f.;
Quisqualis grandiflora Miq.;
Quisqualis indica L.;
Quisqualis longiflora C. Presl.;
Quisqualis loureiroi G. Don;
Quisqualis obovata Schumach. & Thonn.;
Quisqualis pubescens Burm. f.;
Quisqualis sinensis Lindl.;
Quisqualis spinosa Blanco;
Quisqualis villosa Roxb.;

Derris elliptica

Edible : Leaves

An evergreen vine. The stem is sturdy and climbing. It can be 5-12 m long. The older stems can be 3-4 cm thick. The young shoots can grow for several metres without producing leaves. The leaves are divided and have a silky surface underneath. There are 7-15 leaflets. These are oblong and 2-42 cm long by 2-8 cm wide. They are widest near the tip before tapering to a point. The flowers are bright red and pea shaped. They occur in clusters. The clusters are 11-26 cm long. They have rusty hairs. The fruit is an oblong pod 4-8 cm long and 2-2.5 cm wide. There are 1-3 seeds inside.

Distribution : It is a tropical plant. It prefers humid well drained soil. It needs a protected sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. In Papua New Guinea it grows from sea level to 70 m altitude.

Other names:

Bakal bih, Co-rua, Etam chali, Hiru alu, Hon, Makoi sopa, Myin-gaung-nwe, Tuba Root

Paraderris elliptica (Wallich) Adema;

Telosma cordata

Edible Parts: Leaves, Flowers, Fruit, Roots

Description: A woody climbing creeper. The stems are slender. They are hairy. The leaf stalks are 4-6 cm long. The leaves are broadly heart-shaped. They are thin and often wrinkled. They are pointed at the tip. The flower buds are pale green. They open to yellow 5-petalled flowers. They have a scent at night. The fruit are slender pods and 10-14 cm long. The seeds are up to 1 cm long. They are grey-brown.

Distribution: A tropical plant. It is best in full sun. It does well in hot, dry, lowland tropical locations. It needs a well-drained and fertile soil. It grows in limestone areas. In Yunnan.

Bak kik, Bunga siam, Bunga tongkeng, Cowslip creeper, Cowslip, Dok kig, Dok kik, East-coast creeper, Guaal manda, Kanjalata, Kha jon, Melati tongkeng, Pakalana, Phak kik, Primrose-creeper, Salit, Seetamanoharam, Thien ly, Tonkin creeper, Yelaixiang, Yexianghua

Alpinia purpurata

Edible Parts: Leaves - flavoring.

Description: A ginger family herb. It is upright and keeps growing from year to year. The stems are leafy and cane-like. It grows 1-5 m tall. It has spreading underground stems or rhizomes. These cause the plant to form thick clusters. The flower arrangement is at the top of the stems and is 25 cm long. The flowers have bright red bracts. The actual flowers are small and white on top of these bracts. The fruit is round capsules. These split open when the seeds are ripe.

Distribution: It is a tropical plant. It is best with part shade and moist conditions. It cannot tolerate frost. It does well in rich, wet soils. It needs acid soil with pH between 6.0-6.8. In Townsville Queens BG.

Alpinia grandis K. Schum.
Alpinia purpurata var. albobracteata K. Schum.
Alpinia purpurata var. anomala Gagnep.
Alpinia purpurata var. grandis (K. Schum.) K. Schum.
Guillainia novo-ebudica F. Muell.
Guillainia purpurata Vieill.
Languas purpurata (Vieill.) Kaneh.

Amorphophallus konjac

Edible Parts: Tuber, Corm, Flower stalks, Vegetable, Roots, Leaves

Description: A large herb which keeps growing from year to year. The tuber is round and 30 cm across. It produces long rhizomes off the side. These are 50 cm long by 3 cm thick. There is a single leaf. The leaf stalk is smooth and dull pink. It is 1 m long. It has dark green and white spots. The leaf blade is very divided. The blade can be 2 m across. The leaflets are pointed and 3-10 cm long by 2.6 cm wide. The flower stalk can be 1.1 m long and coloured like the leaf stalk. The bract around the flower is broadly triangular and funnel shaped. It is 10-60 cm long and 10-55 cm across. It has a wavy edge. The outer surface is dull and brown-green. with darker green spots. It is red-brown inside. The flower spike is like a narrow cone and 0.15-1.1 m long. It can give off a smell like rotten meat for a few days.

Distribution: A tropical plant. It is less tropical than Amorphophallus paenifolius var. campanulatus. It grows up to 3,000 m altitude in Vietnam. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan. 

Amorphophallus mairei Levéillé in Fedde
Amorphophallus nanus H. Li & C. L. Long
Amorphophallus rivieri Durand ex Carriere
Amorphophallus rivieri var. konjac (K. Koch) Engl.
Hydrosme rivieri (Durand ex Carriere) Engl.

Stachyphrynium placentarium

Edible Portion : Leaves (flavor), Flower buds, Rhizome

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. Distribution 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.

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.

Sapindus rarak

Edible : Fruit

A tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 20-42 m tall. The trunk can be 1 m across. The branches are strong, stout and grooved. They have yellowish hairs when young. The leaves are large and compound. They are 50 cm long. There are 7 -12 pairs of almost opposite leaflets. These are 7-13 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. The flowering shoots are near the ends of branches and are erect and tower-shaped. The fruit are dark red and round. They are 2.5 cm across.

Distribution : It is a tropical plant. In China it grows between 500-2,100 m above sea level. In XTBG Yunnan.