Distribution and habitat: Throughout tropical and subtropical India near sea level to 2300m altitude. It is also distributed in Sri Lanka.

Botany: Small herbaceous plant with cylindrical rootstock.

• Leaves: Elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, base attenuate, plicate, glabrous, 30 x 5 cm; petiole to 30 cm. racemes to 8 cm long; bracts linear, 1cm long.
• Flower: Bisexual flowers towards the base of racemes; male towards the apex. Perianth yellow, pubescent, 1cm across, lobes oblong-obtuse. Ovary pilose,
• Fruit: Fruit narrowly oblong
• Root Stalk: Straight, cylindrical, tuberous, and mucilaginous.  5-22cm long, 0.5-0.8 cm thick, brownish surfaces marked with closely spaced prominent transverse wrinkles in the upper or basal half. It bears a few stout lateral roots of 5 or more cm long

Properties: Rejuvenating and aphrodisiac

Chemical constituents:  The rootstock contains glycoside, polysaccharides (hemicellulose and other polysaccharides), starch, resin, tannin, mucilage, fat and calcium oxalate. The hexane extract contains an alkaloid: lycorine, sterols including β-sitosterols and sapogenin identified as yuccagenin. The flavone glycoside from the rootstock has been identified as 5, 7- dimethoxy glucopyranoside. Fatty acids from C. orchioides root oil are palmitic, oleic, linolenic, linoleic, arachidic and behenic acid. It contains curculigoside. 

Uses: It is used as a rejuvenating and aphrodisiac drug. It improves complexion and is useful in general debility, deafness, cough, asthma, piles, skin diseases, impotence, jaundice, urinary disorders etc. 

Formulations: Vidaryadighrta, Vidaryadi lehya, Marmagulika, Musalyadi churna etc.

Agrotechnology

Soil and climate: The plant is found in all districts of India from near sea level to 2300 m altitude, especially in rock crevices and laterite soil. It has been recorded to occur in the sub tropical Himalayas from Kumaon eastwards ascending to 1800 m, the Khasia hills, Bengal, Asssam, Konkan, Kanara, the western peninsula and Madras extending south as far as Cape Comerin.

Propagation: Fresh terminal tuber segments of 1.5 -2 cm

Seeds and sowing: Raised beds of convenient length and 1m wide are taken. FYM @ 20t/ ha is incorporated into the soil. The tubers are planted at a spacing of 15 cm x 10 cm. The soil is mulched immediately after planting.

After cultivation: The crop prefers shade and grows best as intercrop. Soil should be sufficiently moist to get maximum tuber development. Two – three weeding is essential to control weed competition.

Harvesting and processing: The plant is harvested after 8 months as annual or can be harvested after two years as biennial. 1-1.5 t/ ha tuber is obtained per hectare.