Characteristics
A herb which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 10-60 cm high. It has fleshy roots. The leaves are 10-30 cm long by 0.5-0.8 cm wide. They are sword like or grass-like. The leaves occur in a loose ring around the base. They are erect and arching. They are bluish-green. The flower panicles are 30-60 cm high. The flowers are 1.5-2 cm across and blue. They are on slender stalks. The fruit is a capsule 0.6-0.8 cm long by 0.3-0.4 cm wide. It is oval. The seeds are black and have pits.
Life form |
perennial
|
Growth form |
herb
|
Growth support |
free-standing
|
Foliage retention |
-
|
Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
Pollination |
-
|
Spread |
-
|
Mature width (meter) |
-
|
Mature height (meter) |
0.1 - 0.6
|
Root system |
-
|
Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
Flower color |
-
|
Blooming months |
-
|
Fruit color |
-
|
Fruiting months |
-
|
Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
It is a tropical plant. It grows in open forest, often in moist soils. Plants often flower after heavy rain. It needs well drained soil and some shade. It can tolerate frost.
Light |
-
|
Soil humidity |
-
|
Soil texture |
-
|
Soil acidity |
-
|
Soil nutriment |
-
|
Hardiness (USDA) |
-
|
Usage
The tubers are eaten raw.
Uses |
-
|
Edible
|
roots
tubers
|
Therapeutic use
|
-
|
Human toxicity |
-
|
Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
Plants are grown from fresh seed.
Mode |
-
|
Germination duration (days) |
-
|
Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
Germination luminosity |
-
|
Germination treatment |
-
|
Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
Size |
-
|
Vigor |
-
|
Productivity |
-
|