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''Tacca chantrieri'' is a species of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the yam family Dioscoreaceae
Dioscoreaceae () is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants, with about 715 known species in nine genera. The best-known member of the family is the yam (some species of '' Dioscorea'').
The APG system (1998) and APG II system (2003) both ...
. It is commonly called the black bat flower.
It was first described in 1901 by Édouard André
Édouard François André (17 July 1840 – 25 October 1911) was a French horticulturalist, landscape designer, as well as a leading landscape architect of the late 19th century, famous for designing city parks and public spaces in Lithuania, ...
.
Description
''Tacca chantrieri'' is an unusual plant in that it has black flowers. These flowers are somewhat bat-shaped, are up to 12 inches across, and have long 'whiskers' that can grow up to 28 inches. There are ten species in the genus '' Tacca''.:517 One of these, '' T. integrifolia'', is commonly called the "white bat plant." ''T. integrifolia'' is similar to ''T. chantrieri'', but has white bracts which are veined purple. ''T. integrifolia'' is larger than ''T. chantrieri'', reaching up to four feet in height (almost twice the size of ''T. chantrieri'' at a height of 24"-36"). ''Tacca'' species have been thought to be pollinated by flies seeking decaying organic material. This hypothesis was tested for ''T. chantrieri'', but the populations studied were found to be essentially self-pollinating.Geographical range
''Tacca chantrieri'' is native to tropical regions of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, and southern China, particularly Yunnan Province,:518 as well as Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. ''T. chantrieri'' grows in forests and valleys, along rivers in altitudes from 200 to 1300 metres above sea level.Cultivation
They are understory plants, so they prefer shade (at least 60%). They grow best in well-drained soil with good air circulation, but they prefer high humidity, and need a lot of water. They are hardy to USDA zones 11, above 4.5 °C (40 °F).
See also
* TaccalonolideReferences
{{Monocot-stub Dioscoreaceae Root vegetables Flora of Southeast Asia Taxa named by Édouard André