Ombrophytum zamioides
Weddell
Mountain maize
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Ricardo da Silva Ribeiro, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-sa
(c) Sidnei Dantas, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) David Torres, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A root parasitic herb reaching 35 cm in length with a tuber, found from wet lowland forests to dry mountain forests in tropical regions. The plant characteristically appears suddenly after rain.
Edible Uses
The root is boiled and eaten.
Traditional Uses
The plant is boiled and eaten.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
A tropical plant. They grow from wet lowland forests to dry mountain forests.
Where It Grows
Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, South America,
Cultivation
The plants grow suddenly after rain.
Notes
There are 4 Ombrophytum species in the neotropics. The flowers of several Ombrophytum are eaten.
Synonyms
References (3)
- Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 801
- Hansen, B., 1980, Balanophoraceae, Flora Neotropica, Vol. 23, Balanophoraceae, pp. 1-80
- Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 448 (As Ombrophytum sp.)
