242 Species in Genus Amorphophallus

The Strange and Wonderful World of Amorphophallus

My name is Ferb Vu, and I’m fascinated by the plant genus Amorphophallus. The name might sound like something out of a Greek myth, and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. It translates to “shapeless phallus,” a rather blunt description of the plant’s unique inflorescence. But there’s so much more to these plants than their unusual appearance. They’re a diverse group with a fascinating biology and a surprising number of uses.

A Diverse Genus

Amorphophallus belongs to the Araceae family, which also includes familiar plants like peace lilies and philodendrons. However, Amorphophallus stands out with its distinctive inflorescence consisting of a spadix (a fleshy spike bearing tiny flowers) and a spathe (a large, often colorful bract that encloses the spadix).

This genus boasts a remarkable diversity of over 200 species, ranging from the gigantic Amorphophallus titanum (titan arum) to the more modestly sized Amorphophallus konjac. They’re native to a wide range of habitats, from the tropical rainforests of Sumatra to the savannas of Africa.

Here are species that make up this genus:

1. Amorphophallus aberrans Hett.
2. Amorphophallus abyssinicus (A.Rich.) N.E.Br.
3. Amorphophallus adamsensis Magtoto, Mones, Ballada, Austria, R.M.Dizon, Alangui, Regina
4. Amorphophallus albispathus Hett.
5. Amorphophallus albus P.Y.Liu & J.F.Chen
6. Amorphophallus allenii A.Galloway, Malkm.-Huss., Prehsler & Claudel
7. Amorphophallus amygdaloides Hett. & Sizemore
8. Amorphophallus andranogidroensis Hett. & Mangelsdorff
9. Amorphophallus angolensis (Welw. ex Schott) N.E.Br.
10. Amorphophallus angulatus Hett. & A.Vogel
11. Amorphophallus angustispathus Hett.
12. Amorphophallus ankarana Hett., Ittenbach & Bogner
13. Amorphophallus annulifer Hett.
14. Amorphophallus antsingyensis Bogner, Hett. & Ittenbach
15. Amorphophallus aphyllus (Hook.) Hutch.
16. Amorphophallus arcuspadix A.Galloway, Ongsakul & Petra Schmidt
17. Amorphophallus ardii Yuzammi & Hett.
18. Amorphophallus asper (Engl.) Engl. & Gehrm.
19. Amorphophallus asterostigmatus Bogner & Hett.
20. Amorphophallus atrorubens Hett. & Sizemore
21. Amorphophallus atroviridis Hett.
22. Amorphophallus bangkokensis Gagnep.
23. Amorphophallus barbatus A.Galloway & Ongsakul
24. Amorphophallus barthlottii Ittenb. & Lobin
25. Amorphophallus baumannii (Engl.) N.E.Br.
26. Amorphophallus beccarii Engl.
27. Amorphophallus bequaertii De Wild.
28. Amorphophallus bognerianus Sivad. & Jaleel
29. Amorphophallus bolikhamxayensis A.Galloway, Ongsakul & Petra Schmidt
30. Amorphophallus bonaccordensis Sivad. & N.Mohanan
31. Amorphophallus borneensis (Engl.) Engl. & Gehrm.
32. Amorphophallus boyceanus Hett.
33. Amorphophallus brachyphyllus Hett.
34. Amorphophallus brevipetiolatus A.Galloway, Ongsakul & Petra Schmidt
35. Amorphophallus brevispathus Gagnep.
36. Amorphophallus bubenensis J.T.Yin & Hett.
37. Amorphophallus bufo Ridl.
38. Amorphophallus bulbifer (Schott) Blume Plant FAQs: Amorphophallus Bulbifer
39. Amorphophallus calabaricus N.E.Br.
40. Amorphophallus calcicola M.N.Tamayo, Magtoto & Sumalinog
41. Amorphophallus canaliculatus Ittenb., Hett. & Lobin
42. Amorphophallus candidissimus X.Gong & H.Li
43. Amorphophallus carneus Ridl.
44. Amorphophallus carnosus Engl.
45. Amorphophallus caudatus R.Bustam., Mansibang, Hett. & M.N.Tamayo
46. Amorphophallus chlorospathus Kurz ex Hook.f.
47. Amorphophallus cicatricifer Hett.
48. Amorphophallus cidarioides J.R.Callado, Medecilo & Hett.
49. Amorphophallus cirrifer Stapf
50. Amorphophallus claudelii A.Galloway & Ongsakul
51. Amorphophallus coaetaneus S.Y.Liu & S.J.Wei
52. Amorphophallus commutatus (Schott) Engl.
53. Amorphophallus consimilis Blume
54. Amorphophallus costatus Hett.
55. Amorphophallus coudercii (Bogner) Bogner
56. Amorphophallus crinitus A.Galloway, Luu, Malkm.-Huss., Prehsler & Claudel
57. Amorphophallus crispifolius A.Galloway, Ongsakul & Petra Schmidt
58. Amorphophallus croatii Hett. & A.Galloway
59. Amorphophallus cruddasianus Prain
60. Amorphophallus curvistylis Hett.
61. Amorphophallus declinatus Hett.
62. Amorphophallus decus-silvae Backer & Alderw.
63. Amorphophallus discophorus Backer & Alderw.
64. Amorphophallus dracontioides (Engl.) N.E.Br.
65. Amorphophallus dumboi Eb.Fisch., B.Dumbo & L.Dumbo
66. Amorphophallus dunnii Tutcher
67. Amorphophallus dzui Hett.
68. Amorphophallus eburneus Bogner
69. Amorphophallus echinatus Bogner & Mayo
70. Amorphophallus eichleri (Engl.) Hook.f.
71. Amorphophallus elatus Hook.f.
72. Amorphophallus elegans Ridl.
73. Amorphophallus elliottii Hook.f.
74. Amorphophallus erythrororrhachis Hett., Pronk & R.Kaufmann
75. Amorphophallus excentricus Hett.
76. Amorphophallus fallax (Serebryanyi) Hett. & Claudel
77. Amorphophallus ferruginosus A.Galloway
78. Amorphophallus flammeus Calaramo, Batuyong, Bulawin & Alejandro
79. Amorphophallus flotoi (S.Y.Hu) Govaerts
80. Amorphophallus fontarumii Bulawin, Medecilo & Alejandro
81. Amorphophallus forbesii (Engl.) Engl. & Gehrm.
82. Amorphophallus fornicatus Hett., J.R.Callado & Wistuba
83. Amorphophallus fuscus Hett.
84. Amorphophallus galbra F.M.Bailey
85. Amorphophallus gallaensis (Engl.) N.E.Br.
86. Amorphophallus gallowayi Hett.
87. Amorphophallus gigas Teijsm. & Binn. Plant FAQs: Amorphophallus Gigas
88. Amorphophallus glaucophyllus Hett. & Serebryanyi
89. Amorphophallus gliruroides Engl.
90. Amorphophallus glossophyllus Hett.
91. Amorphophallus goetzei (Engl.) N.E.Br.
92. Amorphophallus gomboczianus Pic.Serm.
93. Amorphophallus gracilior Hutch.
94. Amorphophallus gracilis Engl.
95. Amorphophallus haematospadix Hook.f.
96. Amorphophallus harmandii Engl. & Gehrm.
97. Amorphophallus hayi Hett.
98. Amorphophallus hemicryptus Hett. & J.F.Maxwell
99. Amorphophallus henryi N.E.Br.
100. Amorphophallus hewittii Alderw.
101. Amorphophallus hildebrandtii (Engl.) Engl. & Gehrm.
102. Amorphophallus hirsutus Teijsm. & Binn.
103. Amorphophallus hirtus N.E.Br.
104. Amorphophallus hohenackeri (Schott) Engl. & Gehrm.
105. Amorphophallus hottae Bogner & Hett.
106. Amorphophallus impressus Ittenb.
107. Amorphophallus incurvatus Alderw.
108. Amorphophallus infundibuliformis Hett., A.Dearden & A.Vogel
109. Amorphophallus interruptus Engl. & Gehrm.
110. Amorphophallus johnsonii N.E.Br.
111. Amorphophallus josefbogneri Hett.
112. Amorphophallus julaihii Ipor, Tawan & P.C.Boyce
113. Amorphophallus juliae P.C.Boyce & Hett.
114. Amorphophallus kachinensis Engl. & Gehrm.
115. Amorphophallus khammouanensis A.Galloway
116. Amorphophallus kienluongensis V.D.Nguyen, Luu & Hett.
117. Amorphophallus kiusianus (Makino) Makino
118. Amorphophallus konjac K.Koch Plant FAQs: Amorphophallus Konjac
119. Amorphophallus konkanensis Hett., S.R.Yadav & K.S.Patil
120. Amorphophallus koratensis Gagnep.
121. Amorphophallus krausei Engl.
122. Amorphophallus kuznetsovii (Serebryanyi) Hett. & Claudel
123. Amorphophallus lacourii Linden & André
124. Amorphophallus lambii Mayo & Widjaja
125. Amorphophallus lanceolatus (Serebryanyi) Hett. & Claudel
126. Amorphophallus lanuginosus Hett.
127. Amorphophallus laoticus Hett.
128. Amorphophallus lewallei Malaisse & Bamps
129. Amorphophallus linearis Gagnep.
130. Amorphophallus linguiformis Hett.
131. Amorphophallus longicomus Hett. & Serebryanyi
132. Amorphophallus longiconnectivus Bogner
133. Amorphophallus longispathaceus Engl. & Gehrm.
134. Amorphophallus longistylus Kurz ex Hook.f.
135. Amorphophallus longituberosus (Engl.) Engl. & Gehrm.
136. Amorphophallus lunatus Hett. & Sizemore
137. Amorphophallus luzoniensis Merr.
138. Amorphophallus lyratus (Roxb.) Kunth
139. Amorphophallus macrophyllus (Gagnep. ex Serebryanyi) Hett. & Claudel
140. Amorphophallus macrorhizus Craib
141. Amorphophallus malkmus-husseinii A.Galloway, Prehsler & Claudel
142. Amorphophallus mangelsdorffii Bogner
143. Amorphophallus margaritifer (Roxb.) Kunth
144. Amorphophallus margretae Ittenb.
145. Amorphophallus maximus (Engl.) N.E.Br.
146. Amorphophallus maxwellii Hett.
147. Amorphophallus mayoi (Ittenb.) Eb.Fisch., B.Dumbo & L.Dumbo
148. Amorphophallus mekongensis Engl. & Gehrm.
149. Amorphophallus merrillii K.Krause
150. Amorphophallus mildbraedii K.Krause
151. Amorphophallus minimus R.Bustam., Claudel & M.N.Tamayo
152. Amorphophallus minor Ridl.
153. Amorphophallus mossambicensis (Schott ex Garcke) N.E.Br.
154. Amorphophallus muelleri Blume
155. Amorphophallus mullendersii Malaisse & Bamps
156. Amorphophallus myosuroides Hett. & A.Galloway
157. Amorphophallus mysorensis E.Barnes & C.E.C.Fisch.
158. Amorphophallus napalensis (Wall.) Bogner & Mayo
159. Amorphophallus napiger Gagnep.
160. Amorphophallus natolii Hett., Wistuba, Amoroso, Medecilo & Claudel
161. Amorphophallus niahensis P.C.Boyce & Hett.
162. Amorphophallus nicolaii Hett.
163. Amorphophallus nicolsonianus Sivadasan
164. Amorphophallus obovoideus Alderw.
165. Amorphophallus obscurus Hett. & Sizemore
166. Amorphophallus ochroleucus Hett. & V.D.Nguyen
167. Amorphophallus oncophyllus Prain ex Hook.f.
168. Amorphophallus ongsakulii Hett. & A.Galloway
169. Amorphophallus opalinus Serebryanyi & Hett.
170. Amorphophallus operculatus Hett. & Sizemore
171. Amorphophallus opertus Hett.
172. Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson
173. Amorphophallus palawanensis Bogner & Hett.
174. Amorphophallus paucisectus Alderw.
175. Amorphophallus pendulus Bogner & Mayo
176. Amorphophallus perakensis Engl.
177. Amorphophallus perrieri Hett. & Wahlert
178. Amorphophallus pilosus Hett.
179. Amorphophallus plicatus Bok & H.J.Lam
180. Amorphophallus polyanthus Hett. & Sizemore
181. Amorphophallus prainii Hook.f.
182. Amorphophallus preussii (Engl.) N.E.Br.
183. Amorphophallus prolificus Hett. & A.Galloway
184. Amorphophallus pulchellus Hett. & Schuit.
185. Amorphophallus purpurascens Kurz ex Hook.f.
186. Amorphophallus pusillus Hett. & Serebryanyi
187. Amorphophallus putii Gagnep.
188. Amorphophallus pygmaeus Hett.
189. Amorphophallus ranchanensis Ipor, A.Simon & Meekiong
190. Amorphophallus ravenii V.D.Nguyen & Hett.
191. Amorphophallus rayongii Hett. & Medecilo
192. Amorphophallus reflexus Hett. & A.Galloway
193. Amorphophallus rhizomatosus Hett.
194. Amorphophallus richardsiae Ittenb.
195. Amorphophallus rostratus Hett.
196. Amorphophallus rugosus Hett. & A.Lamb
197. Amorphophallus sagittarius Steenis
198. Amorphophallus sakonnakhonensis Chatan & Promprom
199. Amorphophallus salmoneus Hett.
200. Amorphophallus saraburensis Gagnep.
201. Amorphophallus saururus Hett.
202. Amorphophallus scaber Serebryanyi & Hett.
203. Amorphophallus schmidtiae Hett. & A.Galloway
204. Amorphophallus scutatus Hett. & T.C.Chapm.
205. Amorphophallus serrulatus Hett. & A.Galloway
206. Amorphophallus shyamsalilianus J.V.Gadpay., Somkuwar & A.A.Chaturv.
207. Amorphophallus sinuatus Hett. & V.D.Nguyen
208. Amorphophallus sizemoreae Hett.
209. Amorphophallus smithsonianus Sivadasan
210. Amorphophallus sparsiflorus Hook.f.
211. Amorphophallus spectabilis (Miq.) Engl.
212. Amorphophallus staudtii (Engl.) N.E.Br.
213. Amorphophallus stuhlmannii (Engl.) Engl. & Gehrm.
214. Amorphophallus subcymbiformis Alderw.
215. Amorphophallus sumawongii (Bogner) Bogner & Mayo
216. Amorphophallus suwidjianus Ipor, Tawan & Meekiong
217. Amorphophallus sylvaticus (Roxb.) Kunth
218. Amorphophallus symonianus Hett. & Sizemore
219. Amorphophallus synandrifer Hett. & V.D.Nguyen
220. Amorphophallus taurostigma Ittenb., Hett. & Bogner
221. Amorphophallus tenuispadix Hett.
222. Amorphophallus tenuistylis Hett.
223. Amorphophallus terrestris Hett. & Claudel
224. Amorphophallus teuszii (Engl.) Mottet
225. Amorphophallus thaiensis (S.Y.Hu) Hett.
226. Amorphophallus tinekeae Hett. & A.Vogel
227. Amorphophallus titanum (Becc.) Becc. Plant FAQs: Amorphophallus Titanum
228. Amorphophallus tonkinensis Engl. & Gehrm.
229. Amorphophallus tuberculatus Hett. & V.D.Nguyen
230. Amorphophallus umbrinus A.Galloway, Luu, Malkm.-Huss., Prehsler & Claudel
231. Amorphophallus urceolatus Hett., A.Galloway & Medecilo
232. Amorphophallus variabilis Blume
233. Amorphophallus venustus Hett., A.Hay & Mood
234. Amorphophallus verticillatus Hett.
235. Amorphophallus villosus A.Galloway, Luu, Malkm.-Huss., Prehsler & Claudel
236. Amorphophallus vogelianus Hett. & Billensteiner
237. Amorphophallus wasa Naive, K.Z.Hein & Hett.
238. Amorphophallus xiei H.Li & Z.L.Dao
239. Amorphophallus yaoi A.Galloway, Hett. & Medecilo
240. Amorphophallus yuloensis H.Li
241. Amorphophallus yunnanensis Engl.
242. Amorphophallus zenkeri (Engl.) N.E.Br.

A Curious Life Cycle

Amorphophallus species are geophytes, meaning they have an underground storage organ (a corm) that allows them to survive periods of dormancy. This is particularly important in their native habitats, where they may experience distinct wet and dry seasons.

The life cycle of an Amorphophallus plant is truly remarkable. It begins with the emergence of a single leaf, which can be enormous in some species. This leaf photosynthesizes and stores energy in the corm. After a period of growth, the leaf dies back, and the plant enters dormancy.

When conditions are favorable, the plant emerges from dormancy and produces its inflorescence. This is often the most dramatic stage of the plant’s life cycle, as the inflorescence can be quite large and striking. The spathe unfolds to reveal the spadix, which emits a powerful odor to attract pollinators such as carrion beetles and flies.

After pollination, the inflorescence withers, and the plant produces a cluster of berries. These berries contain seeds that can be dispersed by animals. The plant then enters another period of dormancy before the cycle begins anew.

More Than Just a Pretty (or Stinky) Face

While Amorphophallus plants are often admired for their unusual appearance, they also have a long history of use by humans. As mentioned earlier, some species have edible corms that are an important food source in certain parts of the world. The corms can be boiled, roasted, or ground into flour. They’re a good source of carbohydrates and are also low in fat.

In addition to their culinary uses, Amorphophallus plants have also been used for medicinal purposes. The corms of some species are believed to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. They’ve also been used to treat a variety of ailments, including diarrhea, dysentery, and snakebites.

Conservation Concerns

Despite their adaptability, some Amorphophallus species are threatened by habitat loss and over-collection. Deforestation and agricultural expansion are destroying their natural habitats. In addition, some species are collected from the wild for the horticultural trade or for their edible corms.

Conservation efforts are underway to protect these fascinating plants. This includes habitat preservation, sustainable harvesting practices, and ex-situ conservation (growing plants in botanical gardens and other protected areas).

A Continuing Fascination

My interest in Amorphophallus continues to grow. I’m fascinated by their diversity, their unique biology, and their cultural significance. I believe that these plants have a lot to offer the world, both in terms of their beauty and their potential uses. I hope that through conservation efforts, we can ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy these strange and wonderful plants.