Why is it called 'black musli'?

The name refers to the dark colour of its dried tuberous root, distinguishing it from the unrelated plant known as 'white musli' (Chlorophytum borivilianum).

Is it related to white musli?

No — despite the similar common name and both being valued for their tuberous roots in traditional use, black musli (Curculigo orchioides) and white musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) are different, unrelated plants.

✿Hypoxidaceae · Curculigo

Kali Musli / Yellow Groundstar

Curculigo orchioides

Also known as Black Musale

Herb

Habit: Herb
Found in India: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala & more
Flowering: April-December

Identify this plant with SASYA

How to identify Kali Musli

Identify Kali Musli by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.

Look for a herb habit.
Check the distinctive field mark: Pleated grass-like leaves, small yellow star flowers at the base (black musale).
In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: April-December.
In India, compare location records such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and nearby regions.
Confirm it sits within the Hypoxidaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Kali Musli.

Plant Details

Scientific name: Curculigo orchioides
Genus: Curculigo
Family: Hypoxidaceae
Habit: Herb
Habitat: Moist deciduous forests and grasslands, also in the plains
Habitat type: Forest, Grassland
Native to: India, Java
Distribution: Indo-Malesia, Australia
Found in India: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Mizoram, Odisha, Puducherry
Flowering & fruiting: April-December
Conservation status: Not Evaluated (NE)

Flower & fruit characters

Flower symmetry: Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
Fruit: Berry

Typical of the Hypoxidaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.

Local Names

Hindi: Kali musli काली मुसली
Nepali: कालो मुसली Kalo musali, मुसली कांदा Musali kanda
Bengali: Talamuli, তলমূলি, তালমূলী
Tamil: நிலப்பனைக்கிழங்கு Nilappanaikkilanku, நிலப்பனை, குறத்தி நிலப்பனை
Telugu: నేలతాడి
Kannada: ನೆಲತೆಂಗು Nela tengu, ನೆಲದೆಂಗು Neladengu, ನೆಲಹಾದರಿ Nela haadari
Malayalam: Nelppana, നിലപ്പന, Curculigo orchioides
Marathi: काळी मुसळी
Assamese: তালমূলি
Sinhala: බිම්තල්

Kali Musli in India

This small herb, known as Kali musli काली मुसली (Hindi), நிலப்பனைக்கிழங்கு Nilappanaikkilanku (Tamil), నేలతాడి (Telugu), ನೆಲತೆಂಗು Nela tengu (Kannada), Nelppana (Malayalam), काळी मुसळी (Marathi), is valued for its tuberous root in traditional Ayurvedic use. Curculigo orchioides is found across Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal, typically in grassy or lightly wooded ground.

Uses

Its tuberous roots have a long history of traditional Ayurvedic use — an attributed traditional use, not a medical claim.

How to Identify Kali Musli

A small, grass-like perennial herb growing from a fibrous, tuberous rootstock, with narrow, pleated, strap-like leaves. Small yellow, star-shaped flowers are borne close to the ground, partly hidden among the leaf bases, followed by small capsule fruit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Yellow Groundstar called in different Indian languages?: Kali musli काली मुसली (Hindi); நிலப்பனைக்கிழங்கு Nilappanaikkilanku (Tamil); నేలతాడి (Telugu); ನೆಲತೆಂಗು Nela tengu (Kannada); Nelppana (Malayalam); काळी मुसळी (Marathi); Talamuli (Bengali).
Why is it called 'black musli'?: The name refers to the dark colour of its dried tuberous root, distinguishing it from the unrelated plant known as 'white musli' (Chlorophytum borivilianum).
Is it related to white musli?: No — despite the similar common name and both being valued for their tuberous roots in traditional use, black musli (Curculigo orchioides) and white musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) are different, unrelated plants.

Botanical family

Hypoxidaceae

Lily Or African Potato Family

Kali Musli belongs to the Hypoxidaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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