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Tacca leontopetaloides (L.) Kuntze

Family Name:	Dioscoreaceae
Common Name:	Indian Arrow Root, Tahiti Arrowroot, Lukeh, Likir, Lukih, Condang, Kacunda, Kecondong, 蒟蒻薯

Semi Shade

Moderate Water

Native to Singapore

Fruit or Vegetable

Coastal Plant

Ornamental Flowers

Ornamental Leaves

Underground Storage Organ

Herbaceous Plant

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Herbaceous Plant
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Native Distribution	Africa, Tropical Asia (including Singapore), Australia, and Pacific Islands
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Coastal Forest), Shoreline (Backshore, Sandy Beach)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR))

Growth Form	It is a perennial herb consisting of an underground tuber-like stem (rhizome) from which up to 3 long-stalked leaves arise.
Foliage	Its many-lobed leaves have leaf blades that are broadly drop-shaped, egg-shaped, or oblong-egg-shaped. Each lobe is up to 70 by 120 cm.
Flowers	Its flowering shoot has a long stalk up to about 2 m tall, and bears up to 40 drooping flowers at the top of the stalk. There are about 10, light to dark green, leafy bracts, and many purple or dark blackish-brown, thread-like bracts that are found close to the flowers.

Fruit	Its fruits are mostly round berries, up to 3.5 by 1.5–2.5 cm, pale orange when mature, and contain many seeds. Its ribbed seeds are yellowish-brown, flat, round, and 3–5 mm wide. Its seeds are also covered by a white, spongy covering.
Habitat	It grows in coastal vegetation, and on sandy beaches, usually below 200 m altitude. It occurs locally in Pulau Pawai and Pulau Semakau.
Associated Fauna	Its flowers are insect-pollinated.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed or tubers.
Etymology	Latin tacca, from the Indonesian name, taka; Latin leontopetaloides, with petals similar to that of a lion
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible Stems Food (Fruit or Vegetable): The tubers are edible after proper cooking, and are a good source of starch. Others: The plant is cultivated as an ornamental shrub for its leaves and attractive flowering shoot. The stems are used to manufacture hats as they make good braiding material.

Landscaping	It is suitable for coastal parks or sunny spots with sandy, well-draining soils.
Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Foliage, Ornamental Fruits, Ornamental Form
Landscape Uses	Coastal, Parks & Gardens, Beachfront / Shoreline

Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Abiotic

Light Preference	Semi-Shade
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Rootzone Tolerance	Well-Drained Soils, Saline Soils / Salt Spray

Propagation Method

Seed, Storage Organ

Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage
Foliar Margin	Palmately Lobed
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	3.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Monocot)

Specialised Storage Organ(s)	Underground (Stem Tuber)

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Orange
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Non-Accessory Fruit

Images

Master ID	1198
Species ID	2491
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.