Amorphophallus glabra — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Tubers, Corm, Leaf stalks, Fruit, Root

The tubers, leaf stalks, and fruit are eaten after baking.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a tropical plant. It needs a minimum temperature above 10°C. It is very cold sensitive. It needs loamy soil rich in organic matter. It needs a seasonally dry climate. Brisbane Botanical gardens. Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Australia*, Papua New Guinea, PNG,

Countries: Australia, Papua New Guinea

How to Identify

A tuber plant. The root tuber is flattened and up to 10 cm across. The plant grows 0.5-1 m high. The leaf stalk is grey-green and mottled. It is 60 cm long and smooth. There is a single leaf which can be 60 cm across. It is divided into lobes about 15 cm long. These have long thread like points. The flower stem is 60 cm tall. It is a lily like flower and yellow in the centre. The flower spadix is about 12 cm long. The flowers are on the lower half of this. The spathe around this spadix is 25 cm long and tapers to a point. The flowers have a sweet scent. The fruit are berries which are 1 cm across and red.

How to Grow

Plants can be grown from seed or by division of the clump.

Notes

There are about 170-200 Amorphophallus species. The name probably should be galbra after an aboriginal name.

Names & Synonyms

Andidjdanku anbadjan, Luwija, Tiyoni

References (22)

Bindon, P., 1996, Useful Bush Plants. Western Australian Museum. p 35.
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 76
Checklist of NT Vascular Plant Species. January 2003.
Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 198
Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 59
Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 145
Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1982, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 2. Lothian. p 185
Garde, M., et al, 2003, A Preliminary List of Kundedjnjenghmi Plant Names. Northern Land Council. (Arnhem Land, Australia)
Hardwick, G., 2001, Economically Useful Plants for Northern Australia: Master Species List. Crusader eBooks.
Isaacs, J., 1987, Bush Food, Aboriginal Food and Herbal Medicine. Weldons. p 99
Jackes, B.R., 2001, Plants of the Tropics. Rainforest to Heath. An Identification Guide. James Cook University. p 41
Jones D, L, 1986, Ornamental Rainforest Plants in Australia, Reed Books, p 257
Lavelle, M., 2008, Wild Flowers of Australia and Oceania. Southwater. p 109
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 18
Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 8
Low, T., 1992, Bush Tucker. Australia’s Wild Food Harvest. Angus & Robertson. p 111
Paczkowska, G. & Chapman, A.R., 2000, The Western Australian Flora. A Descriptive Catalogue. Western Australian Herbarium. p 35
RIRDC, 2010, New Root Vegetables fo the Native Food Industry, Australian Government RIRDC Publication 9/161
Smith, N and Wightman, G.M., 1990, Ethnobotanical Notes from Belyuen Northern Territory Australia. Northern Territory Botanical Bulletin No 10. Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory.
Smith, N. M., 1991, Ethnobotanical Field Notes from the Northern Territory, Australia, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 14(1): 1-65
Tiwi Plants and Animals. 2001, Aboriginal flora and fauna knowledge from Bathurst and Melville Islands, northern Australia. Northern Territory Botanical Bulletin; No. 24 p 24
Wheeler, J.R.(ed.), 1992, Flora of the Kimberley Region. CALM, Western Australian Herbarium, p 980