Tacca chantrieri

Tacca chantrieri, commonly known as the Black Bat Flower, is a striking tropical plant celebrated for its dramatic, dark ebony blooms. Beyond its ornamental allure, this unique species holds significant value in traditional medicine, where its roots and leaves are utilized for various healing purposes and cultural practices worldwide.

  • Scientific name: Tacca chantrieri
  • Family: Dioscoreaceae
  • Native range: Asia-Temperate

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Dioscoreales. Finally, it resides in the family Dioscoreaceae under the genus Tacca.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Dioscoreales WCVP
Family Dioscoreaceae WCVP
Genus Tacca WCVP

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range across several key regions in Asia. Within China, its distribution extends through the South-Central areas and the southeastern provinces. It can also be found growing in the tropical environment of Hainan and the high-altitude regions of Tibet. Moving beyond China, the species is also native to the Indian Subcontinent, specifically within Assam. Together, these locations define the natural habitat where this medicinal species flourishes.

Region Area Source
China China South-Central WCVP
China Hainan WCVP
China China Southeast WCVP
China Tibet WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Assam WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Bangladesh WCVP
Indo-China Cambodia WCVP
Indo-China Laos WCVP
Indo-China Myanmar WCVP
Indo-China Thailand WCVP

Chemicals

Tacca chantrieri has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include taccasteroside A, taccasteroside B, taccasteroside C.

Total chemicals
3
Scientific sources
3

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
taccasteroside A 1 ★☆☆☆☆
taccasteroside B 1 ★☆☆☆☆
taccasteroside C 1 ★☆☆☆☆