Project 'Food Plant Solutions'
Pitpit – Edible grasses in Papua New Guinea
Three types of pitpit grow in Papua New Guinea: Coastal pitpit The pitpit plant looks like sugarcane to which it is related. Normally the stalk is thinner than sugarcane. It can grow up to 3 metres high and produces suckers…
Wild Karuka and another pandanus fruit species
The Pandanaceae botanical family comprises following six species in Papua New Guinea: ‘Karuka’ and ‘Marita’ were already discussed at this website in two former articles. ‘Karuka’, see here, and ‘Marita’ see there. In the following, ‘Wild Karuka’ and Pandanus antaresensis…
Karuka – cultivated pandanus fruits and nuts
Tok Pisin: Karuka Scientific name: Pandanus jiulianettii Two species of pandanus are commonly used for the nuts that are eaten. They are Karuka (Pandanus jiulianettii Martelli) and wild Karuka (Pandanus brosimos Merr & Perry). At least 3 other species of…
Giant Taro – a plant with a giant root
English: Giant taro Scientific name: Alocasia macrorrhiza (L.) Schott Synonyms: Alocasia indica (Lour.) Spach Plant family: Araceae Description of Giant Taro plants A very large herb of the taro family. It has a stout erect trunk up to 4 m…
Marita – a lesser known pandanus fruit
English names: Marita or ‘Red Fruit’ Tok pisin name: Marita Bahasa Indonesia name: Buah Merah Scientific name: Pandanus conoideus Lamarck The marita pandanus plant A short much branched screw pine with many prop roots. The prop roots have prickles. Trees…
Yam varieties in Papua New Guinea
Four species of yam are commonly grown and used for food in Papua New Guinea – but often naming in villages and naming by scientists does not agree. Many village people regard potato yam and 5-leaflet yam as varieties of…
Solomon’s Sago – another Sago palm species
How is this sago different? The Solomon’s sago palm that occurs in the North Solomon province and in the Solomon Islands is quite different from the sago that grows in other areas of Papua New Guinea. It has a different…
Sago – staple food in parts of Papua New Guinea
Sago palms Tok Pisin language: Saksak; Scientific name: Metroxylon sagu Rottb. There are 2 species in Papua New Guinea. The other one occurs in North Solomons Province and in the Solomon Islands. Its scientific name is Metroxylon salomonense. The sago…