Talas Padang
Colocasia gigantea

Family: Araceae

What it is like

An erect herb. It is fleshy and produces latex. It grows 2 m tall. It has a tuberous underground stem. The leaves are flattened with the leaf stalk attached to the middle of the lower surface. The leaves have 2 lobes at the base. The leaf stalk is 1.5 m long. It is light green. The leaf blade is oval in outline and 25-120 cm long by 17-35 cm wide. The lobes at the base point downwards and are joined for half their length. The flower is a lily like flower with a fleshy stem and enclosed in a spathe. The tubular part is 3-8 cm long. The fruit is an oblong berry. It is about 1 cm long.

There are 8 Colocasia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in valley forests, swamps, also cultivated between 100-700 m in China. It suits shady sites. It is often on limestone hills. Adelaide Botanical Gardens. Melbourne Botanical gardens. In XTBG Yunnan. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fruit are used as a flavouring. They are also eaten as a snack. The leaf stalks are eaten as a vegetable. They are well cooked. The leaves are also cooked and eaten.

It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, spice, petioles, leaf stalk, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from sections of the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

Bac ha, Batang, Bo ju, Bon, Bo rui, D(oj)e m(uf)ng, Hou bu, Kamumu, Khun, Kun, Lumpoi, Lumpuy, M(oon) to, Ok dip, Padun, Rombang, Talas raksasa, Taleh kemumu, Thamanai, Thoun, Yendem, You ti

Synonyms

Arisaema fouyou H. Lev.; Caladium giganteum Blume ex J. Hasskarl; Colocasia prunipes K. Koch & C. D. Bouche; Leucocasia gigantea (Blume ex Hassk.) Schott; Colocasia indica Engler; ?