Family: Menispermaceae
Tiliacora triandra (bai yanang, yanang grass jelly vine) is a species of climbing vine native to Southeast Asia. In the Lao Isan culture of northeastern Thailand, the leaves are used to make a soup called kaeng no mai, sometimes called kaeng Lao, after the ethnic Lao majority of northeastern Thailand. The soup is a chili-hot tasting dish, and is usually made with juice (extract) of the leaves, to make the broth. The contents of the rest of the soup are bamboo shoots, chilis, salt, sometimes oyster mushrooms, straw mushrooms, cha-om, or other ingredients. There is limited evidence of cultivation outside its native range. However, there are knowledge gaps about this species that may reduce the accuracy of risk prediction.
High Risk Traits:
- Broad elevation range in the tropics (>1000 m)
- Grows, and could spread, in regions with tropical climates
- Shade tolerant
- Climbing, and potentially smothering habit
- Reproduces by seeds
- Seeds presumably dispersed by birds, other animals (including fish), and through intentional cultivation
- May be able to resprout after cutting
- Gaps in biological and ecological information may reduce accuracy of risk prediction
Low Risk Traits:
- No reports of invasiveness or naturalization, but no evidence of widespread introduction outside native range
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Non-toxic
- Dioecious (requires male and female plants for seed set)
