Polytoca gigantea
(Koenig ex Roxb.) Mabb.
Wild adlay
PoaceaeShoots
wikimedia · cc-by-sa
Wikimedia Commons - Dinesh Valke from Thane, India
Wikimedia Commons - Dinesh Valke from Thane, India
wikimedia · cc-by-sa
Wikimedia Commons - Dinesh Valke from Thane, India
Wikimedia Commons - Dinesh Valke from Thane, India
What to Eat
Edible parts: Stems
The stems are eaten and traditionally used in the making of salt.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It is common in swampy places in the highlands.
Asia, India, Myanmar, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, SE Asia,
Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Micronesia, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Nauru, New Zealand, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Palau, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Samoa, Yemen
How to Identify
A tall broad leafed grass. It can be up to 4 m tall and the firm stem has prop roots near the ground. It is a perennial grass. The seeds are in a dense spike.
How to Grow
It can be grown from seeds, and stems that fall over also form roots at the nodes.
Notes
There are 6 Coix species.
Names & Synonyms
Bandu, Danga gurgur, Hongobandu, Kyeik, Kyeik-kaing
Coix gigantea KoenigCoix lingulata Hack.Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. palustris (Koorders) Backer
References (10)
- Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 135 (As Coix gigantea)
- Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 102 (As Coix gigantea)
- Ballard, 1991, (As Coix gigantea)
- Fl. ind. ed. 1832, 3:570. 1832 (As Coix gigantea)
- French, B.R., 1986, Food Plants of Papua New Guinea, A Compendium. Asia Pacific Science Foundation p 332 (As Coix gigantea)
- Haberle, S., 2005, Ethnobotany of the Tari basin, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. Palaeoworks Technical Paper 6. (As Coix gigantea)
- Powell, J.M., Ethnobotany. In Paijmans, K., 1976, New Guinea Vegetation. Australian National University Press. p 109 (As Coix gigantea)
- PROSEA (Plant Resources of South East Asia) handbook Volume 10 Cereals. p 79 (As Coix gigantea)
- Wood, 1984, (As Coix gigantea)
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
