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Botanical name
Common name
Fiber
Formation aid
Dye
Papers
Konnyaku
Language:
Japanese
Local scripture:
コンニヤク
Botanical classification
Amorphophallus konjac K. Koch
Order:
Alismatales
Family:
Araceae
Synonyms:
Amorphophallus mairei
H. Lév.
Amorphophallus nanus
H. Li & C. L. Long
Amorphophallus rivieri
Durieu ex Riv.
Brachyspatha konjac
(K. Koch) K. Koch
Hydrosme rivieri
(Durieu ex Riv.) Engl.
Proteinophallus rivieri
(Durieu ex Riv.) J. D. Hook. f.
Plant growing area
China
(Yunnan where the species occurs wild),
Indonesia
,
Japan
,
Korea
(Cultivated).
Found in open situations, forest margins and thickets between 200 and 3000 m.
Use area in the manufacture of paper
China, Japan.
Plant cultivation and use
The plant has a rhizome which can weigh up to 4 kg.
It is grown in Indonesia, Korea and Japan mainly as a vegetable (as cakes and noodles), but also for its medicinal properties in treatment of cancer or diabete.
In Japan,
konnyaku
(made by mixing Konjac flour with water lime) is used to strengthen the paper used as
Kamiko
(cf. papers).
China:
Used as dyeing aid.
Japan:
A viscous liquid obtained from the
Konnyaku
flour is brushed on the surface of paper to make it more resistant to water before dyeing in particular with indigo. The concentration is 0.5% weight / liquid.
Preparation process for making paper
Japan:
Konnyaku
flour is mixed with water and then heated to form a viscous liquid.
Vernacular names
Chinese
Hua mo yu
花蘑芋
Mo yu
魔芋
Japanese
Konnyaku
コンニヤク
Korean
Gon yak
곤약
French
Konjac
Langue du diable
English
Devil's tongue
Elephant foot
Elephant-yam
Leopard-palm
Umbrella arum
English
Snake-palm
Used part of the plant:
Root
Use for paper making:
Dyeing aid
