''Stephania pierrei'', also known as ''Stephania erecta'' or binh voi in Vietnamese, is a

caudiciform A caudex (plural: caudices) of a plant is a stem, but the term is also used to mean a rootstock and particularly a basal stem structure from which new growth arises.pages 456 and 695 In the strict sense of the term, meaning a stem, "caudex" is m ...

vine native to the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. It is cultivated as a houseplant; in commerce it is typically described as ''Stephania erecta.'' It was first described by Ludwig Diels in 1910. The root or caudex is used medicinally in Vietnam; the 2006 Vietnam Red List of Medicinal Plants lists ''Stephania pierrei'' as a vulnerable species within the country.

Appearance

Stephania pierrei is an

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial vine with an unusual woody

, a stem swollen in a spherical form and aesthetically resembling a potato in colour and texture, that can grow up to 30 cm (1 ft) in diameter. It sprouts long vines with small circular leaves with intricate mosaic veining. This unusual appearance has made it a popular collector houseplant. It sprouts in spring, first with yellow flowers, followed by its foliage. The foliage can go dormant in winter.

References

pierrei Endemic flora of Thailand Plants described in 1910 House plants Caudiciform plants {{menispermaceae-stub