Guinea arrowroot, Sweet corn-tuber
Goeppertia allouia

Family: Marantaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 1 m tall. The roots are tuber shaped and 2-8 cm at the end of the roots. The leaves are 60 cm long by 20 cm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies, Winward Is.

How it is used for food

The tubers are cooked and eaten. It has a taste like sweet corn and remains crisp.

Edible parts

Tubers

How it is grown

It can be grown from rhizomes.

Its other names

Local names

Lairen, Leren

Synonyms

Allouya americana (Lam.) A. Chev.; Calathea allouria (Aubl.) Lindl.; Curcuma americana Lam.; Maranta allouia Aubl.; Maranta niveiflora A. Dietr.; Maranta semperflorens Horan.; Phrynium allouia (Aubl.) Roscoe; Phyllodes allouia (Aubl.) Kuntze;