Stone Flower also called as patthar ke phool in Hindi or dagad phool in Marathi is one of the unconventional spices in India.

Also known as kalpasi, stone flower is a soft brownish and black coloured lichen. It is an edible fungus that grows on trees and rocks naturally and doesn’t require any major effort or fertiliser. It grows on its own without any cultivation on trees, rocks and stones.

It has a strong earthy aroma and a very dry and light texture and feel. It is widely used in chettinad cuisine and to some extent in Hyderabadi and Marathi cuisine, typically used in meat dishes.

Stone flower is used as a spice and an ingredient in kala masala or garam masala recipe. It is also used in Maharashtra as Goda masala and in Andhra as vaangi baath podi.