Calathea panamensis
Family: Marantaceae
What it is like
A herb without a stem. It grows 65 cm tall. The roots produce tubers. The leaf stalks have broad wings. The leaves are oblong to oval and end abruptly at the tip. They are 25-38 cm long by 6-15 cm wide. They can be unequal on opposite sides. They are dark green above and more pale underneath. The flowering shoots are at the top coming from among the leaf sheaths. There are bracts 3-7 cm long. They are sword shaped and arranged in spirals. The flowers are yellow. The fruit are capsules 1 cm long. They have 3 brown seeds.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in seasonally dry areas of the rain forest
Countries/locations it is found in
Central America, Costa Rica, Panama
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Tubers, root
How it is grown
It dies back during the dry season and regrows after rain.