Heracleum rigens

Wall. ex DC.

Apiaceae Edible: Leaves, Fruit

gbif· cc-by

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

gbif· cc-by

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

gbif· cc-by

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Description

A large herb or small shrub. It has tuberous roots and keeps growing from year to year. It grows 1 m tall. The leaves are large and twice divided. The leaves have lobes and these vary in size becoming smaller towards the tip. There are teeth along the edge. The leaves are hairy. The flowers are large and in erect compound groups with stalks from the same point. The flowers have 5 oval petals. The fruit are 1 cm long by 0.5 cm wide. They are narrowly oval and flattened with 3 ridges.

Edible Uses

The leaves and fruit are eaten.

Medicinal Uses

The plant is used in medicine.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in evergreen forests.

Where It Grows

Asia, India,

Production

In southern India plants flower and fruit August to September.

Notes

An unresolved name in The Plant List. It is used in medicine.

Synonyms

Heracleum courtallense GambleHeracleum sprengelianum Dalzell & A. GibsonPastinaca candolleana Wight & Arn.Pastinaca ligusticifolia Wight & Arn.Pastinaca rigens WightTetrataenium rigens (Wall. ex DC.) Manden.