Gadung (Uwi Gadung)

Gadung merupakan jenis ubi yang bunganya wangi sehingga digunakan sebagai bunga untuk sembahyang. Selain itu, bagian-bagian lainnya juga diperlukan untuk kelengkapan upacara tertentu. Ubi dengan nama ilmiah Dioscorea hispida Dennsteds (periksa nama ilmiah dan klasifikasi) dikenal dalam bahasa Indonesia dengan nama uwi gadung dan dalam bahasa Inggris dengan nama asiatic bitter yam dan intoxicating yam.

Tumbuhan gadung berbatang merambat dan memanjat, panjang 5–20 m. Arah rambatannya selalu berputar ke kiri (melawan arah jarum jam, jika dilihat dari atas). Ciri khas ini penting untuk membedakannya dari jenis ubi lainnya (misalnya ubi aung Dioscorea esculenta yang memiliki penampilan mirip namun batangnya berputar ke kanan). Tumbuhan perambat, berumur menahun (perenial), panjang +/- 10 m. Akar serabut. Batang berkayu, silindris, membelit, warna hijau, bagian dalam solid, permukaan halus, berduri.. Daun majemuk, bertangkai, beranak daun tiga (trifoliolatus), warna hijau, panjang 20 - 25 cm, lebar 1 - 12 cm, helaian daun tipis lemas, bentuk lonjong, ujung meruncing (acuminatus), pangkal tumpul (obtusus), tepi rata, pertulangan melengkung (dichotomous), permukaan kasap (scaber). Bunga majemuk, bentuk bulir (spica), muncul dari ketiak daun (axillaris). Buah lonjong, panjang +/- 1 cm. Umbi terbentuk dalam tanah, berjumlah banyak dan dengan bentuk tidak beraturan, menggerombol dalam kumpulan hingga selebar 25 cm. Terdapat beberapa varietas, di antaranya yang berumbi putih (yang besar dikenal, dalam bahasa Jawa, sebagai  gadung punel atau gadung ketan, sementara yang kecil berlekuk-lekuk disebut gadung suntil) dan yang berumbi kuning yang dikenal, dalam bahasa Melayu, sebagai gadung kuning, gadung kunyit atau gadung padi).

Umbi gadung dapat dimakan setelah diproses dengan cara mengiris dan merendam dalam air mengalir untuk menghilangkan racun dioscorine yang merupakan racun yang menyebabkan kejang. Cara lainnya adalah memasaknya, misalnya direbus dengan banyak air di atas nyala api sedang dan dalam waktu yang lama.

Lilitan batang dan daun Sumber: flickr

Daun gadung Sumber: Tanaman Obat Keluarga

Daun dan bunga gadung Sumber: Info Kuningan

Umbi gadung Sumber: Ilmu dan Tips Gratis

Jenis-jenis ubi lainnya:
Dioscorea species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea alata from the the Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
Dioscorea alata image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea alata (winged yam) species page from Forestry Images
Dioscorea alata species image page from Plants of Hawaii (HEAR)
Dioscorea alata under cultivation at the the University of Connecticut Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Living Plant Collections
Dioscorea brachybotrya species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea bryoniifolia species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea bulbifera image pqge from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea bulbifera (air-potato) species page from Forestry Images
Dioscorea bulbifera species image page from Plants of Hawaii (HEAR)
Dioscorea bulbifera (Air Yam) species page from the Flowers of India
Dioscorea bulbifera - Cultivated. (whole plant) - photo: James Manhart
Dioscorea bulbifera species page from Texas Invasives
Dioscorea bulbifera under cultivation at the the University of Connecticut Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Living Plant Collections
Dioscorea bulbifera line drawing from the the Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
Dioscorea bulbifera var. bulbifera from the the Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
Dioscorea caucasica - - Cultivated (flower-close - photo: Thomas Schöpke
Dioscorea caucasica - - Cultivated, at Berlin Botanical Garden/Germany (whole plant) - photo: Thomas Schöpke
Dioscorea cayenensis image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea composita image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea discolor under cultivation at the the University of Connecticut Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Living Plant Collections
Dioscorea dumetorum image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea elephantipes under cultivation at the the University of Connecticut Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Living Plant Collections
Dioscorea esculenta image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea floribunda image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea humifusa species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea opposita image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea opposita - Cultivated/Purchased, from College Station, TX. Known as Nagaimo. (root) (root) - photo: Monique Reed
Dioscorea opposita from the Tropical Plant Database
Dioscorea oppositifolia (cinnamon vine) species page from Bioimages
Dioscorea oppositifolia (Chinese yam) species page from Forestry Images
Dioscorea oppositifolia species page from Texas Invasives
Dioscorea pentaphylla (fiveleaf yam) species page from Forestry Images
Dioscorea pentaphylla species image page from Plants of Hawaii (HEAR)
Dioscorea pentaphylla (Five Leaf Yam) species page from the Flowers of India
Dioscorea quaternata - leaves - back light - Holmes County, Ohio - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea quaternata - fruits - Holmes County, Ohio - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea quaternata image page from Missouri Plants
Dioscorea rotundata image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea saxatilis species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea sp. - Cultivated. Known as Yam (True, not sweet potato). (stem (rhizome or tuber)) (stem (rhizome or tuber));- photo: Monique Reed
Dioscorea sp. #1484 species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea sp. #1498 species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea sp. #1500 species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea sp. #1534 species page from the Flora of Chile
Dioscorea transversa from the the Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
Dioscorea trifida image page from UN Food and Agriculture Organization - Ecocrop
Dioscorea villosa - Plants, with Mandy Neill - eastern Madison County, Texas (10 Apr 98) - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa - Leaves - eastern Madison County (10 Apr 98) - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa - Fruit and seed - eastern Madison County, Texas (10 Apr 98) - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (zoom) - Fruit - from eastern Madison County, Texas - Amanda Neill Collection - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (zoom) - Plant with fruit, close - from eastern Madison County, Texas - Amanda Neill Collection - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (zoom) - Fruit with seeds (pre-dehiscence) - from eastern Madison County, Texas - Amanda Neill Collection - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (zoom) - Seed (pre-dehiscence) - from eastern Madison County, Texas - Amanda Neill Collection - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (zoom) - Fruit with seed (pre-dehiscence) - from eastern Madison County, Texas - Amanda Neill Collection - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (zoom) - Plant with fruit - from eastern Madison County, Texas - Amanda Neill Collection - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (zoom) - Seeds in fruit - from eastern Madison County, Texas - Amanda Neill Collection - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (zoom) - Fruits with scale - from eastern Madison County, Texas - Amanda Neill Collection - photo: Hugh Wilson
Dioscorea villosa (wild yam) species page from Bioimages
Dioscorea villosa species page from the Connecticut Botanycal Society
Dioscorea villosa (wild yam) species page from Forestry Images
Dioscorea volckmannii species page from the Flora of Chile