Oryza meyeriana
(Zoll. & Moritzi) Baill.
Wikimedia Commons - Alston, A. H. G.; Hooker, Joseph Dalton; Trimen, Henry
What to Eat
Edible parts: Seeds
The seeds are edible and can be consumed.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant. It can grow in well-drained soils as well as damp places. It grows between 500-1,000 m above sea level in southern China.
Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
How to Identify
A herb or grass. It keeps growing from year to year. It can forms tufts or have short runners. It grows 30-70 cm tall. The leaf blades are thin and 5-20 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. They are rough along the veins underneath. The flowering shoots are erect and narrow and 3-15 cm long. There are 2-5 branches. There are a few spikelets 5-7 mm long. The seeds are 3-4 mm long.
How to Grow
Grows wild in dense shade. Found in the wild on sandy, lateritic soils and organic loamy soils. Plants can be in flower in all months of the year and are insensitive to photoperiod.
Propagation: Seed. The seed of wild rice less than 12 months old often exhibits strong dormancy, which implies (though this has not been established) that the seed retains its viability for a considerable period. Heat treatment is generally effective in breaking dormancy - alternating temperatures between 34°c for 16 hours then 11°c for 8 hours is usually effective, though the time taken varies between species. Surface sow the seed in light shade and do not allow to dry out. Seed should germinate within 7 days at 30°c. Prick out 2 - 3 seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle - grow on until large enough to plant out.
Medicinal Uses
The plant is used as a contraceptive.
Other Uses
Because they are a source of resistance to or tolerance of biotic and abiotic stresses, the most important use of the various species of wild rice is probably in breeding programmes to improve the species of cultivated rice.
Other Information
It is cultivated.
Names & Synonyms
Nell, You li dao
References (2)
- Arinathan, V., et al, 2007, Wild edibles used by Palliyars of the western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 6(1) pp 163-168 (As Oryza meyeriana var. granulata)
- Zeven, A. C. & de West, J. M. J., 1982, Dictionary of cultivated plants and their regions of diversity. Wageningen. p 53 (As Oryza granulata)
