Rare and Exotic Plants of Thailand- Tacca integrifolia Ker Gawler (Bat Lily) or Niam ruesee in Thai
Tacca integrifolia, also known as bat plant??can be considered as one of the rare and exotic??species?? in the Plant Kingdom. There are about 60 species of Tacca??distributed in the world under the family of Taccaceae, most of which are originated in SouthEast-Asia.?? I found the species growing in the garden of Khaolak Paradise Resort @ Phang Nga Province next to Khao Lak – Lam Ru National Park. The Thai Name is Niam ruesee. My last encounter with the Bat Lily was many years ago in the Bukit Timah Nature Park in Singapore. I was working as a plant collector for a??research project and it is a ??popular plant among conservatories and hobby horticulturists especially the white variety.
In the wild, the Bat Lily dies down in the dry season and returns with the rains. Its peculiar ???whiskers?? are actually filiform bracteoles, or small bracts (modified leaves) which arise in the same axil as the flowers.??This is one of the very few black flowering plant in the world. The plant grows well under shade away from direct sunlight and ample of moisture and a good well-drained organic soil and can be propagated by rhizome cutting.
Tacca integrifolia is used in traditional medicine for lowering blood pressure, piles and diabetes. It is distributed in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, E India, Indonesia, Laos, W Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Where to find the plant in Bangkok:
