Cibotium barometz

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Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Malaysia present present, N.E. New Guinea present, NE. India present, S. China present, Southern America: Argentina Northeast (Formosa present)

NE. India to S. China and Formosa, southwards to Malaysia, in Malaysia: Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, and Java. N.E. New Guinea ().

Uses

The hairs on the rhizome of this species of Cibotium (probably also of other species) have long been used in China as a styptic for bleeding wounds, and they have also been so used by various peoples in Malaysia; for details, see Heyne and Burkill. The common trade-name for these hairs seems to be Penawar (D)jambi. Cibotium hairs have also been used for stuffing cushions and for upholstery, but it is reported that they are not very satisfactory for this purpose.

Notes

The name barometz was derived from the story of the vegetable lamb of Tartary (see A. F. Tryon, l.c.); but whatever plant gave rise to the strange fable of the vegetable lamb, it was not Cibotium. Link, Kunze, and some later botanists have noted that baranetz (from the Russian baran, a lamb; baranets, a diminutive form) is a more correct spelling of the name of the vegetable lamb than barometz; but the latter spelling was that adopted by Linnaeus.

Citation

J. Sm. 1957 – In: Am. Fern J.: 1

Heyne 1927: Nutt. Pl.: 103

A. F. Tryon 1955 – In: Miss. Bot. Gard. Bull.: n. 2

v.A.v.R. 1908: Handb.: 48, 792

Griff. 1849 – In: Ic. Pl. As.: t. 136, f. 2

Burk. 1935: Dict.: 536

Linne 1790: Lour. Fl. Cochin.: 675

Bedd. 1883: Handb.: 24

Ching 1959 – In: Fl. Rep. Pop. Sin.: 197

Christ 1907 – In: Philip. J. Sc.: Bot. 117

Diels 1899 – In: E. & P., Pfl. Fam. 1: 121

Hook. 1844 – In: Sp. Fil.: 82

J. Sm. 1917: Handb.: 77

Holttum 1954: p. 114. – In: Rev. Fl. Mal.: f. 45

Backer & Posth. 1938: Varenfl. Java: 23: f. 7

J. Sm. 1892: Handb.: 6

Hook. & BAK. 1868: Syn. Fil.: 49

Christ 1907 – In: Philip. J. Sc.: Bot. 117

Tard.-Blot & C. Chr. 1939: p. 78. – In: Fl. Gen. I.-C.: f. 10