Alocasia is a genus of broad-leaved rhizomatous or bulbous perennials from the Family
AraceaeAraceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like hood. The group also goes by the name of Arum family and species in this...
. There are about 70 species of
Alocasia occurring in
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
,
OceaniaOceania is a geographical, often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands—mostly islands in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. The term "Oceania" was coined in 1831 by French explorer Dumont d'Urville...
and
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
. The large
cordate or sagittateIn botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
leavesIn botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. For this purpose, a leaf is typically flat and thin. There is continued debate about whether the flatness of leaves evolved to expose the chloroplasts to more light or to increase the absorption of carbon dioxide. In...
grow to a length of 20 to 90 cm on long
petioleIn botany, the petiole is the small stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly...
s. Their beautiful araceous
flowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds...
s grow at the end of a short stalk, but are not conspicuous; often hidden behind the leaf petioles.
The stem (a
cormA corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat . A corm consists of one or more internodes with at least one growing point, with protective leaves modified...
) is edible, but contains raphid crystals of
oxalic acidOxalic acid is the chemical compound with the formula C2O22 or HOOCCOOH. This colourless solid is a relatively strong carboxylic acid, being about 3,000 times stronger than acetic acid. The dianion, known as oxalate, is a reducing agent as well as a ligand for...
that can numb and swell the tongue and pharynx.
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Alocasia is a genus of broad-leaved rhizomatous or bulbous perennials from the Family
AraceaeAraceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like hood. The group also goes by the name of Arum family and species in this...
. There are about 70 species of
Alocasia occurring in
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
,
OceaniaOceania is a geographical, often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands—mostly islands in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. The term "Oceania" was coined in 1831 by French explorer Dumont d'Urville...
and
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
. The large
cordate or sagittateIn botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
leavesIn botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. For this purpose, a leaf is typically flat and thin. There is continued debate about whether the flatness of leaves evolved to expose the chloroplasts to more light or to increase the absorption of carbon dioxide. In...
grow to a length of 20 to 90 cm on long
petioleIn botany, the petiole is the small stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly...
s. Their beautiful araceous
flowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds...
s grow at the end of a short stalk, but are not conspicuous; often hidden behind the leaf petioles.
The stem (a
cormA corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat . A corm consists of one or more internodes with at least one growing point, with protective leaves modified...
) is edible, but contains raphid crystals of
oxalic acidOxalic acid is the chemical compound with the formula C2O22 or HOOCCOOH. This colourless solid is a relatively strong carboxylic acid, being about 3,000 times stronger than acetic acid. The dianion, known as oxalate, is a reducing agent as well as a ligand for...
that can numb and swell the tongue and pharynx. The corms require prolonged boiling before serving or processing as a food. You may experience severe headaches, diffilculty breathing and you also may start to halucinate.
Although not serious you may feel some advent of pain.
Some hybrids, such as the Amazon Lily of the African Mask (
Alocasia x
amazonica), are grown as ornamentals.
Species
- Alocasia acuminata: (Indonesia)
- Alocasia aequiloba: (New Guinea)
- Alocasia alba: (Sri Lanka)
- Alocasia amazonica: (South East Asia)
- Alocasia argyrea:
- Alocasia arifolia: (Malaysia)
- Alocasia atropurpurea: (Philippines)
- Alocasia augustiana:
- Alocasia × bachi (unplaced name)
- Alocasia balgooyi: (Sulawesi)
- Alocasia beccarii: (Malaysia)
- Alocasia boa: (New Guinea)
- Alocasia boyceana: (Philippines)
- Alocasia brancifolia : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia brisbanensis
Alocasia brisbanensis is a species of plant in the family Araceae. Its common name is native lily or cunjevoi . It is native to rainforests of Eastern Australia. This plant has very large, spade shaped leaves on long, fleshy petioles. Alocasia may grow to a height of 1.5 metres...
: Cunjevoi, Spoon Lily (Australia)
- Alocasia cadieri: (SE Asia)
- Alocasia celebica: (Sulawesi)
- Alocasia × chantrieri: (unplaced name)
- Alocasia × chantrieriana: (unplaced name)
- Alocasia clypeolata: Green Shield (Philippines)
- Alocasia × conspicua (= A. longiloba × A.odora ) (unplaced name)
- Alocasia coriacea: (unplaced name)
- Alocasia cucullata: Chinese Taro (Indonesia)
- Alocasia culionensis: (Philippines)
- Alocasia cuprea: (Borneo)
- Alocasia decipiens : (Indonesia)
- Alocasia decumbens : (Vietnam)
- Alocasia denudata: (Singapore)
- Alocasia devansayana : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia evrardii : (SE Asia) (unplaced name)
- Alocasia fallax : (East Himalaya to Bangladesh)
- Alocasia flabellifera : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia flemingiana : (Java)
- Alocasia fornicata : (Indonesia)
- Alocasia gageana : (Burma)
- Alocasia × gaulainii : (unplaced name)
- Alocasia grandis : (Indonesia) (unplaced name)
- Alocasia grata : (Indonesia)
- Alocasia hainanensis : (Hainan, China)
- Alocasia hainaica : (Hainan to N. Vietnam)
- Alocasia heterophylla : (Philippines)
- Alocasia hollrungii : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia infernalis : (Borneo)
- Alocasia inornata: (Sumatra)
- Alocasia kerinciensis : (Sumatra)
- Alocasia lancifolia : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia lauterbachiana : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia longiloba: (Malaysia)
- Alocasia macrorrhizos
Alocasia macrorrhizos is the "giant taro" or "elephant ear taro" of the Pacific islands and the eastern Australia rainforests. Its Polynesian name is Ape. In Australia it is known as the "cunjevoi" . It is edible if cooked for a long time but has irritant sap...
: Giant Taro, Elephant Ear, Ape flower (SE Asia, Australia, Pacific)
- Alocasia macrorrhizos
Alocasia macrorrhizos is the "giant taro" or "elephant ear taro" of the Pacific islands and the eastern Australia rainforests. Its Polynesian name is Ape. In Australia it is known as the "cunjevoi" . It is edible if cooked for a long time but has irritant sap...
var. brisbanensis : (Australia)
- Alocasia maquilingensis : (Philippines)
- Alocasia melo : (Borneo)
- Alocasia micholitziana: Elephant’s Ear Plant (Philippines)
- Alocasia minuscula : (Borneo)
- Alocasia monticola : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia × mortfontanensis : (unplaced name)
- Alocasia navicularis : (Himalaya)
- Alocasia nebula : (Borneo)
- Alocasia nicolsonii : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia odora
Alocasia odora is a flowering plant native to Asia....
: Night-scented Lily (SE Asia, China)
- Alocasia pangeran : (Borneo)
- Alocasia peltata : (Borneo)
- Alocasia perakensis : (Malaysia)
- Alocasia portei : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia princeps : (Malaysia)
- Alocasia principiculus : (Borneo)
- Alocasia puber : (Java)
- Alocasia puteri : (Borneo)
- Alocasia putii : (Thailand) (unplaced name)
- Alocasia pyrospatha : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia ramosii : (Philippines)
- Alocasia rapiformis : (Myanmar) (unplaced name)
- Alocasia regina : (Borneo)
- Alocasia reginula: Black Velvet (cultivated)
- Alocasia reversa : (Philippines)
- Alocasia ridleyi : (Borneo)
- Alocasia robusta : (Borneo)
- Alocasia × rodigasiana : (unplaced name)
- Alocasia sanderiana
Alocasia sanderiana is an ornamental plant in the Araceae family, which is native to the Philippines.- General aspect and origins :...
: (Malaysia)
- Alocasia sarawakensis : (Borneo)
- Alocasia scabriuscula : (Borneo)
- Alocasia scalprum : (Philippines)
- Alocasia × sedeni : (unplaced name)
- Alocasia simonsiana : (New Guinea)
- Alocasia sinuata : (Malaysia)
- Alocasia suhirmaniana : (Sulawesi)
- Alocasia x van-houtteana : (unplaced name)
- Alocasia venusta: (Borneo)
- Alocasia wentii: New Guinea Shield (New Guinea)
- Alocasia wongii : (Borneo)
- Alocasia zebrina: (Philippines)
All hybrids have been obtained artificially.