Balanophora fungosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

 Balanophora fungosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Char. Gen. Pl. 50 (1775).

Balanophora fungosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.; Photos Hoang Thanh Son

Vietnamese name: 

Dó đất; Xà cô. 

Chinese name: 

蛇菰 she gu 

Indonesia: 

perud puspa

Thailand: 

khanun din (general), kok maak paasee (northern), bua phut (peninsular).

Latin name: 

Balanophora fungosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. 

Family: 

Balanophoraceae 

Synonym name:

Balanophora forsteri Tiegh.

Balanophora fungosa f. extratropica F.M.Bailey

Balanophora fungosa var. kuroiwai Makino

Balanophora fungosa var. mariannae (Hosok.) Hosok.

Balanophora kuroiwai (Makino) Makino

Balanophora mariannae Hosok.

Balanophora micholitzii Ridl.

Cynomorium australe Hook.f.

Cynomorium balanophora Willd.

Cynomorium fungosum Raeusch. ex Steud.

Cynomorium parasiticum Sw. ex Steud.

Cynomorium philippense Blanco

Description: 

Plants monoecious or rarely dioecious. Rhizome yellowish brown, unbranched or in a mass, surface with granular warts and scattered yellow stellate lenticels; branches subglobose, depressed, ca. 1.5 × 2.5 cm. Scapes pink, reddish orange, or occasionally yellowish, 3-8 × 0.6-1.5 cm at anthesis, to 12 cm in fruit. Leaves 15-30, spirally arranged or rarely opposite, imbricate, broadly ovate, 1-1.5 × 1.5-1.7 cm, apex obtuse. Inflorescences ellipsoid, ovoid, or conically ovoid, 1-3 × 1-2 cm. Male flowers: basally on androgynous inflorescences, actinomorphic, subtended by short rudimentary bracts. Pedicel 4-5 mm. Perianth lobes 4 or 5, ovate-elliptic, apex acute. Synandria subglobose, stipe 0.5-1 mm; anthers 4 or 5, U-shaped. Spadicles subclavate, apical 1/2 ellipsoid; cuticular ridges of apical cells short but distinct and congested. Female flowers: yellowish, basally on spadicles and main axis of inflorescence. 

Flower and fruid season: 

Flower December. 

Distribution: 

This species is distributed in Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan (Ryukyu Islands), New Guinea, Philippines; Australia, Pacific Islands and Vietnam. In VietNam, found in  Ninh Bình (Cúc Phương), Kon Tum.

Ecological: 

Coastal forests; near sea level to 900 m. 

Chemical composition: 

There are compounds triterpen, steroid, lignan, phenylpropanoid, phenylpropanoid glucosid, galloyl and bischoroman. 

Medicinal Uses:

- In VietNam: Use water decoction to treat stomach upset and body pain.

- The tubers contains a sticky wax (balanophorin). The wax is often present in great quantity. It is used for illumination and candles. The wax can also be obtained by cooking the plant. All parts of the plant are also used as an aphrodisiac.

Reference: 

- theplantlist.org

- efloras.org

- ipni.org

- uses.plantnet-project.org

- tropical.theferns.info