Badur phul, Black bat flower, Tacca chantrieri

Have you ever heard that flowers are ever black? Yes! However, it is not absolutely black, but from a distance it will seem black to you. Now let's get acquainted with the strange flower and the plant itself.

Badur phul or Black bat flower (Tacca chantrieri, family: Taccaceae) is a perinnial rhizomatous herb, with very unusal black-colored and extraordinary shape of flowers, attaining a height of 60-70 cm. It is found in the hilly forests of Moulovibazar, Bandarban and Khagrachari in Bangladesh. In the wild, it can be seen growing on the slopes of the mountains under giant trees. It is also found in some tropical and subtropical countries of Southeast Asia. 

Leaves are beautiful. These are large, pale green, wavy, clustered; petiole long. Flower is beautiful with exceptional shape. It is deepest purple or dark maroon with deep violet bracts, borne at the top of long peduncle. Stamens are basipetal and 30 cm long. It produces flowers almost all the year round. Each flower lasts for 5 to 6 weeks. 

Fruits are pods, 3-4 cm long. It can be propagated by seeds. It is propagated by dividing rhizomes also. Pods take about a year to ripen. The plant does not need any pollinator for propagation. 

It is a unique ornamental flowering plant. It can be grown in garden and on pot. It grows very well in partial shades and where water cannot accumulate. It is used to reduce the fever. It is also used in rheumatism.