Curculigo


Curculigo is a flowering plant genus in the family Hypoxidaceae, first described in 1788. It is widespread across tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas.
Curculin is a sweet protein that was discovered and isolated in 1990 from the fruit of Curculigo latifolia, a plant from Malaysia. Like miraculin, curculin exhibits :Category:Taste modifiers|taste-modifying activity; however, unlike miraculin, it also exhibits a sweet taste by itself. After consumption of curculin, water and sour solutions taste sweet. The plant is referred to locally as 'Lembah' or 'Lumbah'; English: 'Weevil-wort'.
;Species
  1. Curculigo annamitica Gagnep. – Vietnam
  2. Curculigo breviscapa S.C.Chen – China
  3. Curculigo conoc Gagnep. – Vietnam
  4. Curculigo disticha Gagnep. – Vietnam
  5. Curculigo ensifolia R.Br. – Australia
  6. Curculigo erecta Lauterb. – Philippines, Sumatra, New Guinea, Solomon Island
  7. Curculigo maharashtrensis M.R.Almeida & S.Yadav – Maharashtra
  8. Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. – China, Japan, Indian Subcontinent, Papuasia, Micronesia
  9. Curculigo janarthanamii R.D. Gore & S.P. Gaikwad – India
  10. Curculigo sabui S.P. Gaikwad & Gore – India
  11. Curculigo pilosa Engl. – tropical Africa, Madagascar
  12. Curculigo racemosa Ridl. – Borneo
  13. Curculigo savantwadiensis M.R.Almeida & S.Yadav – Maharashtra
  14. Curculigo scorzonerifolia Baker – southern Mexico, Central America, West Indies, northern South America
  15. Curculigo seychellensis Bojer ex Baker – Seychelles
  16. Curculigo sinensis S.C.Chen – China
  17. Curculigo tonkinensis Gagnep. – Vietnam