Volume 6 > Part 1 > Year 1993 > Page 5 > Taccaceae > Tacca

4. Tacca leontopetaloides (L.) Kuntzewfo-0000567798

Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 704. 1891; Drenth, Blumea 20: 375. 1972; in Fl. Males., Ser. 1, Spermat. 7: 809. 1976.— Leontice leontopetaIoides L., Sp. Pl. 1: 313. 1753. Fig. 4; Plate I: 2.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Herb with starchy tuber. Leaves 1–3 palmately 3-sect, each of the 3 segments pinnately lobed to dissected, up to 70 by 120 cm. Petiole including sheath 20–170 cm long. Inflorescence 1 or 2, up to 170 cm long, each 20–40-flowered. Involucral bracts 4–10, dark green, sessile; 2(–4) outer ones sessile, (ob)ovate, oblong or lanceolate, 2.5–10 by 1.2–3.5 cm; 2–7(–10) inner ones more or less similar in shape to the outer, 2.5–10 by 0.7–5 cm. Bracts filiform 20–40, dark purple or blackish-brown, 10–25 cm long. Pedicel 2.5–6 cm long. Flowers 6–17 by 6–13 mm, yellowish-green or blackish-purplish-green. Perianth 6-lobed; 3 outer lobes elliptic or lanceolate, 4–7 by 2–3 mm; 3 inner lobes ovate or oblong, 5–7.5 by 2.5–5 mm. Stamens white or dull yellow to brown or purple. Ovary 2–5 by 2–4 mm. Fruit globose, 1.5–2.5 cm diam. Seeds ovoid to ellipsoid, 5–8 by 3–5 mm and 1.5–3 mm thick.

Thailand : EASTERN: Nakhon Ratchasima, Si Sa Ket; CENTRAL: Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok); SOUTH-EASTERN: Prachin Buri, Trat; PENINSULAR: Surat Thani, Phuket.

Distribution : Widely distributed from W Africa to SE Asia, S Pacific and N Australia, India (type).

Ecology : Common along the seashore, occasionally inland. Flowering and fruiting: August–September.

Vernacular : Thao yai mom (ท้าวยายม่อม), mai thao ruesi (ไม้เท้าฤาษี), buk ro (บุกรอ), singto dam (สิงโตดำ)(Central, Southeastern).

Uses: The starchy tuber yields flour. It is also used medicinally against diarrhoea.