Common Name:

General Information

Amorphophallus muelleri is a herbaceous, perennial plant producing a single leaf each year from a tuberous rootstock.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is being increasingly harvested on a commercial basis for its tuber, which has a wide range of applications in the food industry and elsewhere. It is a plant worthy of cultivation[].

Known Hazards

Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, it belongs to a family where most of the members contain calcium oxalate crystals. This substance is toxic fresh and, if eaten, makes the mouth, tongue and throat feel as if hundreds of small needles are digging in to them. However, calcium oxalate is easily broken down either by thoroughly cooking the plant or by fully drying it and, in either of these states, it is safe to eat the plant.
People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet[].

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Andaman Islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Members of this genus generally require a moist but well-drained, humus-rich, fertile soil and a position in dappled shade[].

Edible Uses

Root - cooked[]. The corm must be thoroughly boiled or baked, it is acrid when raw (see notes above on 'Known Hazards'[])[]. The fresh corms are turned into curd, or are chopped then dried[]. The curd is relatively tasteless, but it absorbs flavours well and so can be used as a carbohydrate element in a wide range of other foods[].
Especially just before the foliage declines prior to dormancy, the tubers are a rich source of mannan, a polysaccharide of mannose and glucose[]. The mannose is extracted and widely used in foods for diabetics[]. Glucomannan, a soluble fibre formed from mannan and glucose, cannot be metabolized by the human body, but is metabolized by intestinal bacteria. Inside the digestive system, glucomannan absorbs up to 200 times its weight in water without any negative action upon the digestive system. It therefore can give a feeling of fullness and be of use to aid in weight loss, it also relieves constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as reducing serum cholesterol levels[].
Glucomannan is widely used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in foods and drinks[].

Medicinal

Glucomannan, a soluble fibre obtained from the tuber, cannot be metabolized by the human body, but is metabolized by intestinal bacteria. Inside the digestive system, glucomannan absorbs up to 200 times its weight in water without any negative action upon the digestive system. It therefore can give a feeling of fullness and be of use to aid in weight loss, it also relieves constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as reducing serum cholesterol levels[].

Other Uses

Glucomannan, obtained from the tuber, has a wide range of used in various industries. It has gelling and film-forming properties and is widely used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in foods, drinks, cosmetics and the pharmaceutical industry. It is also used as a non-clay drilling fluid in the diamond and oil industries[].

Propagation

Seed - usually germinates easily and well[].

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