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Alocasia cucullata (Lour.) G.Don

Buddha's hand

Native records: 13 botanical areas

Assam, Bangladesh, China South-Central, 10 more areas

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Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Alocasia cucullata

A subshrub of wet tropical climates. Native to China, India, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Hong Kong and elsewhere.

This entry carries only the classification and distribution data recorded in WCVP. A written account is not yet available.

Distribution areas

  • Bangladesh

    • BangladeshNative

  • Barbados

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Bhutan

    • East HimalayaNative

  • China

    • China South-CentralNative
    • China SoutheastNative
    • HainanNative

  • Cook Islands

    • Cook Is.Introduced

  • Costa Rica

    • Costa RicaIntroduced

  • Dominica

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • French Polynesia

    • Tubuai Is.Introduced

  • Grenada

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Honduras

    • HondurasIntroduced

  • Hong Kong

    • China SoutheastNative

  • India

    • AssamNative
    • East HimalayaNative
    • West HimalayaNative

  • Japan

    • JapanIntroduced
    • Nansei-shotoIntroduced
    • Ogasawara-shotoIntroduced

  • Lao People's Democratic Republic

    • LaosNative

  • Macao

    • China SoutheastNative

  • Martinique

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Micronesia, Federated States of

    • Caroline Is.Introduced

  • Myanmar

    • MyanmarNative

  • Palau

    • Caroline Is.Introduced

  • Saint Lucia

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Sri Lanka

    • Sri LankaNative

  • Taiwan, Province of China

    • China SoutheastNative
    • TaiwanNative

  • Thailand

    • ThailandNative

  • Vanuatu

    • VanuatuIntroduced

  • Viet Nam

    • VietnamNative

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer
  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer
  • ET Polar, tundra
  • Am Tropical, monsoon
  • Cwb Temperate, dry winter, warm summer
  • Af Tropical, rainforest
  • Cfb Temperate, no dry season, warm summer
  • Dwb Cold, dry winter, warm summer

The same climate occurs in 201 areas worldwide, 178 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Recorded medicinal uses

The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.

  • Alocasia cucullata is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.15, right column, line 2

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

Buddha's hand、Chinese ape、Chinese Taro

Family
Araceae
Genus
Alocasia

Other species in Alocasia

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bangladesh · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Barbados · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bhutan · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    China · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cook Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Costa Rica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Dominica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Micronesia, Federated States of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Grenada · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Hong Kong · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Honduras · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    India · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Japan · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Lao People's Democratic Republic · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Lucia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Sri Lanka · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Macao · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Myanmar · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Martinique · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Palau · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    French Polynesia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Thailand · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Taiwan, Province of China · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Viet Nam · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Vanuatu · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

Image information