| Etymology | Genus | From Latin curculi, a kind of weevil ; referring to the shape of the ovary |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Wide leaves | |
| Family | Hypoxidaceae | |
| Synonyms | Molineria latifolia (Dryand. ex W.T.Aiton) Herb. ex Kurz, Aurota latifolia (Dryand. ex W.T.Aiton) Ra | |
| Common Names | Weevil Lily, Hill Coconut, Lumbah | |
| Status | Native: Vulnerable | |
| Form | Herb | |
| Native Distribution | India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, indonesia, Celebes | |
Diagnostics:
A common herb found in the undergrowths of our nature reserves. It has long leaves that have veins running parallel to the margins. Small white hairs lined around the leaves and petioles.
Interesting Facts:
The fruits of Curculigo latifolia are edible and contain a taste-modifying protein called Curculin. When mixed with water it makes the water sweet, and when mixed with sour substances, makes it even sweeter (Yamashita, 1990).
Two Weevil Lilies at the forest edge, Central Catchment.
Leaf, showing the venation.
White hairs.
Petiole and white hairs.
Leaf tip.
Flower.
References
Yamashita, H., S. Theerasilp, T. Aiuchi, K. Nakaya, Y. Nakamura, and Y. Kurihara. 1990. Purification and Complete Amino Acid Sequence of a New Type of Sweet Protein with Taste-modifying Activity, Curculin. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 265(26): 15770–15775.
Author: Siyang
Posted: 2025-09-25
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