Black princess taro
Colocasia affinis

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A taro like plant. It is a herb. It has trailing stolons. These are pale green and thin and can be 4-40 cm long. The leaves are oval with purple marks between the veins. There are 3-7 leaves. The leaf stalk is 20-45 cm long and cylinder shaped. The leaves are oval or heart shaped and 16-21 cm long by 13-16 cm wide. The leaves often have 4-6 pairs of large purple spots. The flowers are slender and yellow.

There are 6-8 Colocasia species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It can grow in damp places. It grows in moist, shady places in forests and on hillsides in limestone between 800-1,400 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, China, Himalayas, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Tibet

How it is used for food

The leaves and leaf stalks are boiled and eaten. Caution: Plants in this group can have oxalates. The roots are eaten.

Edible parts

Root, corm, leaves, leaf stalks

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Black-leaved taro, Bu-dong, Goneusu, Lep-lawp, Nyepop, Pein, Purple-leaved taro

Synonyms

Alocasia jenningsii Veitch; Colocasia affinis var. jenningsii (Veitch) Engl.;