Ghetkochu, Bengal Arum, Typhonium trilobatum

Ghetkochu or Bengal Arum (Typhonium trilobatum, family: Araceae) is a soft, tuberous herb, attaining a height of 25-40 cm, found here and there in the country. it is found growing in damp or wet places, fallow lands and beside the paths. Though it is not a popular vegetable in the country, but people from different parts of the country consume its leaves, stalks and tubers. Apart from Bangladesh or Greater Bengal, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Southeast China, North Malaysia are the original habitat of the plant. It is naturalized in the Philippines, West Borneo, Singapore, West Africa and tropical America. 

Other names : Ghatkol, Ghetkol, Kharkol, Kharkeli, Ghekul, Kharkun, Chamghash, (Bangla); Harbaz (Chakma); Mohras (Marmara);  Harbait (Tanchangya). 

Ghetkochu is quite beautiful to look at—especially the shape of its leaves. Like other members of the Kachu (Arum) family, it has fewer leaves, mostly 5 to 6. Its leaves, however, vary—from arrow-shaped to 3-lobed; 5 lobes can also be seen occasionally. From a distance it appears to be three separate leaves. These are irregularly heart-shaped at the base, slightly pointed towards the apex. The leaf petiole is quite long, up to 25-40 cm, green in color, but sometimes reddish-purple.

The flowers are borne in spadix clusters, which is the common characteristic of the Arum family. Interestingly, The plant produces flowers before the stem emerges from the tuber-just like the White Turmeric. (Curcuma zedoaria). 

Spadix holds flowers in panicles. The panicle-cap or spathe surpasses the spadix. It is oval or round, 15-18 cm long. The inner side of the petals are purple or dark reddish-purple and the outer side is green. The flowers are circular or coiled, very attractive to look at but prefer to stay behind the leaves. Flowers bloom in summer. The flowers have a foul smell—some say like shit. Ghetkochu emits such a smell during the first few hours of flowering. This is just a trick of the plant to protect the flower from its enemy.

Fruits are juicy berry. Purple spot on green is unripe fruit, ripe fruit is white. They are flat-rounded, seeds 1-2. Fruits usually appear until autumn. Its roots or tubers can be eaten like many other members of Arum family. They are white in color, hemispherical or cylindrical, 1-5 cm wide.

As mentioned earlier, its leaves and buds, tubers are eaten as a tasty vegetable. Its tubers, stems and leaves are used medicinally. Roots and tubers are stimulants. The tuber has a bitter taste. The plant is used elsewhere as a poultice for bites of poisonous snakes, bees, wasps, and for hard boils. Tuber curry taken with rice clears bowels, reduces bleeding. 

Folk doctors also apply it in hemorrhoids. Eating stem and tuber curry reduce stomachache, expel flatulence and increase appetite. Interestingly, despite its medicinal properties, it is not mentioned in ancient Indian scriptures—either because of the foul smell of its flowers, or because it eluded the eyes of mediciners. The plant reproduces by seeds and tubers.

Synonyms : Arisaema pumilum, Arum auriculatum, Arum foetidum, Arum orixense, Arum orixense, Arum pumilum, Arum trilobatum, Desmesia orixensis, Dracunculus trilobatus, Typhonium orixense, Typhonium siamense, Typhonium trilobatum, Typhonium triste.