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Useful Tropical Plants

Typhonodorum lindleyanum

Schott.

Araceae

+ Synonyms

Arodendron engleri Werth

Typhonodorum madagascariense Engl.

Common Name:

Typhonodorum lindleyanum
Plants growing in Tsimbazaza Zoological Parc
Photograph by: scott.zona
Creative Commons License
Typhonodorum lindleyanum Typhonodorum lindleyanum Typhonodorum lindleyanum Typhonodorum lindleyanum

General Information

Typhonodorum lindleyanum is a perennial plant producing a stout, banana-like, pseudostem up to 30cm in diameter topped with a rosette of leaves from a short horizontal rhizome. The plant is usually 1.5 to 2.5 metres tall, but can be up to 4 metres[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
,
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild and used locally, providing a food of very dubious value plus medicines and a good quality fibre. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant give off an irritating juice which causes itching[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
All parts of the plant 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[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].

Botanical References


Range

East tropical Africa - Tanzania to Madagascar and Mauritius.

Habitat

Near the banks of muddy streams or in marshes[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Usually found in pure stands in fresh water swamps near the sea[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height2.50 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details


Prefers a sunny position. Plants grow in wet to marshy soils and also in shallow water.

Edible Uses

Rhizome - must be thoroughly cooked[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. An edible starch is obtained from this rhizome by drying the grated base of the plant over a slow fire. In spite of the action of the fire, however, this starch causes an itching in the mouth and even in the oesophagus[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is more common, when rendering the roots of plants in this family edible, to bake them for some time at high temperatures, often pounding them into a powder and then baking them again. This is a more effective way of destroying the toxins, though even then it is not unheard of for people to experience itching of the mouth[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The tuber can be peeled then cut into small slices which are boiled and washed several times in order to remove some of the toxic matter. Coconut milk is then added and the whole is eaten[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
]. Alternatively, the slices can be soaked in water for two days and then dried in the sun. The dried slices are pounded into a flour which is cooked into ugali[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].
The root is mainly viewed as a famine food, eaten when there is nothing better available[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].

Fruit - cooked[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. It needs to be boiled for a long time[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The same comments apply to the fruit as they do to the rhizome (see above)[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

The starch from the rhizome is considered an excellent remedy against the bites of venomous animals[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The leaves are used as a mulch[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].

Other Uses

A fibre is obtained from the leaf sheaths[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is used for making heavy fish lines[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is a very easy matter to gently draw out the threads after abruptly breaking the sheath, provided they are pulled out parallel to the axis. Thus obtained, the threads are at first a deep yellow, becoming much lighter with washing[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
A variety of the plant which has reddish and blackish sheaths gives better fibres than the variety which has white sheaths[
644
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported. Vol. 46
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1919
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds and plants imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the first quarter of 1916, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

The leaves are used for thatching[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Suckers.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-19. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Typhonodorum+lindleyanum>

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