Codonopsis lancifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Codonopsis lancifolia (Roxburgh) Moeliono

Family: Campanulaceae

Synonyms

Campanula lancifolia Roxburgh, Campanumoea celebica Blume, C. lancifolia (Roxburgh) Merrill, Codonopsis celebica (Blume) Thuan.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: gordang-gordang (Sumatra), emlapagar (Sulawesi)
• Philippines: lakoronbolan (Bukidnon)
• Thailand: mayom-kaeo (northern)
• Vietnam: cây gai rừng, dẳng sâm, ngân dằng.

Distribution

From India throughout South-East Asia, southern China, Taiwan.

Uses

The starchy rhizome, stems and leaves are used cooked as food and vegetable in times of scarcity.

Observations

Sprawling or erect perennial herb, up to 3 m tall, glabrous to hairy, branched, with hollow stem and tuberous rhizome. Leaves opposite; petiole 3-15 mm long; blade ovate-elliptical, 3-14 cm × 1-4 cm, serrate. Flowers 7-15 mm in diameter, white to pale pink, axillary, solitary or in cymes of 3, through reduction of upper leaves resembling a terminal panicle; pedicel up to 6 cm long; calyx lobes 4-7, lanceolate; corolla tubular with 4-7 lobes; stamens 4-6; pistil with 4-6-celled ovary, style and 5-6 stigmas. Fruit a subglobular berry, up to 1 cm in diameter, whitish, with persistent calyx. Seeds numerous, with finely reticulated testa. It is often found in wet places in the open or along forest edges, streams, usually at altitudes of 300-1500 m. Other species in the region could have similar uses, e.g. Codonopsis javanica (Blume) Hook.f. (fruits also edible, rhizome used medicinally, all over South-East Asia).

Selected sources

3, 22, 24, 51, 57, 60, 96.

Authors

L.E. Groen, J.S. Siemonsma & P.C.M. Jansen