Curculigo latifolia Dryand. ex W.T. Aiton

Marasi (Curculigo latifolia) is an upright herb up to 1 meter tall of the Hypoxidaceae family, originating from Indonesia through to Indo-China. In Karo, its leaves are used to wrap the traditional food cimpa, while in Kalimantan its fiber is woven into rope and traditional woven cloth. Its fruit flesh, containing curculin, gives a natural sweet taste and is traditionally believed to be a sugar substitute for diabetics.

Grows well in moist places with a little sunlight, under tree canopy. Its distribution is most commonly found on young secondary forest land with light intensity of 50–70%. Marasi is commonly found in mountain slope areas at elevations of 1,500 m above sea level.

• Roots fibrous, tuberous rhizome.
• Stem round.
• Leaves grow directly from the underground stem, elongated shape with a texture like small folds.
• Flowers bright yellow, small, densely arranged, 6 sepals, hairy bract. Emerges from between the leaves.
• Fruit a berry, round, 5 mm diameter, whitish translucent color.
• Seeds numerous, small black like dragon fruit seeds.

Cultivated intensively in two ways, namely by stolon/root tuber (vegetative) and by seed (generative).

Curculin, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, gentisic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid. 

Treats kidney pain, cough, headache, stomach ache, eye pain, strengthens sexual function, sugar substitute for diabetics, reduces fever, promotes urination.

• Take marasi root (rhizome), separate from attached dirt.
• Wash thoroughly with running water.
• Slice the root into smaller pieces.
• Dry in the sun or dry using an oven at 40 °C until the moisture content is below 10%.
• Grind with a blender then sift.
• Store in an airtight container.

Sukkit (Toba), Singkut (Karo), Pisi (Lampung), Lentahi (Palembang), Cua mok (Papua).