Stemona tuberosa Lour.

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘This plant [Roxburghia gloriosa] received its name in honour of Dr. Roxburgh, Physician at Calcutta and superintendant of the Botanical Garden there, whose botanical labours are well known in Europe, although but a small proportion of them have as yet been published.  Through him we have become scientifically acquainted with a great number of the curious and useful products of the East-Indies, many of which have long been in request for adorning our houses, clothing, and feeding us; adding to the palatableness, perhaps to the salubrity, of our diet ; and furnishing our shops with drugs, in high estimation for the cure of many diseases.  The flowers are not very shewy, and when bruised have a disagreeable smell, which Dr. Smith compares to rotten cheese, corrupted water, or the stinking morell; but to us it appeared to contain nothing putrid, but was nauseous and disgusting, like that of the dwarf elder and some night-shades. […] Introduced [in 1803] by the late Lady Amelia Hume.’  [BM t.1500/1812].

‘This was one of the last plants Dr. Konig saw. It was brought in when he was on his death bed; he did attempt to examine it, but was unable, the cold hand of death hung over him; he desired I would describe it particularly, for he thought it was uncommonly curious, new, and beautiful. This observation, from a worthy friend, a preceptor, and predecessor, has made me more than usually minute in describing and drawing it. William Roxburgh.’ [Roxburgh FI p.236].

In India the roots are candied with sugar and eaten as a sweet-meat.  [JD]. Stemona tuberosa is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine.

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues only [T.910/1850].

Notes

Roxburghia gloriosoides Zoll. ex Kunth (1850) = Roxburghia javanica Kunth, but as this was not described until 1850 it seems an unlikely identification.