Tacca chantrieri
Bat flower ( Tacca chantrieri ) inflorescence.
The Bat Flower ( Tacca chantrieri, Syn: Clerodendrum Esquirolii H.Léveillé, Schizocapsa itagakii Yamamoto, Tacca Esquirolii ( H.Léveillé ) Rehder, T. minor Ridley, T. paxiana H.Limpricht ), also called devil flower, bat plant, demons blossom, is a species of the genus Tacca.
Description
The bat flower is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height of 80 to 110 centimeters. It forms thick rhizomes than outlasting. She has undergraduate leaves, with 10 to 30 cm long petioles and 20 to 50 ( to 60) cm long and 7-14 (rarely to 25) cm wide leaf blades.
The doldigen inflorescences are five to siebenblütig (up to 18 - flowered ). Very striking are the brown purple bracts, of which ( two horizontal and two vertical large smaller ) four cup-shaped and are up to 30 converted to about 40 centimeters long barbels. The threefold flowers are initially upright and after opening it hang. The six bracts are dark purple. The overall shape of the inflorescence is strongly reminiscent of a bat, hence the German name.
There are dark purple, ellipsoid berry formed which are about 3 inches tall; the bracts are obtained on the berries yet.
Dissemination
The bat flower is native to the subtropics to the tropics of Southeast Asia. As localities the Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, southeastern Xizang ( Medog Xian) and Yunnan, as well as in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam are given. It grows in forests, in valleys and along rivers at altitudes 200-1300 m. It prefers moist, but not wet, semi- shady locations with high temperature and high humidity.
Use
The very starchy rhizome found in Polynesia use as food. However, since they must be previously consuming exempt from bitter substances, it will be increasingly replaced by sweet potatoes.
Since 2000, tens of thousands of pieces of this type have come as ornamental plants on the European market, although it is relatively demanding as a houseplant.
Pictures
Habit
Doldiger inflorescence with showy bracts.
Flower
Swell
- Description of the species in the Flora of China. (English )