elephant-yam

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• elephant-yam
• pungapung
• sweet-yam
• telinga-potato
• telingo-potato
• Elephant foot yam
• Elephant yam
• Whitespot giant arum
• elephant-foot yam

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pythion campanulatum
• Arum campanulatum
• Arum decurrens
• Amorphophallus paeoniifolius var. campanulatus
• Arum phalliferum
• Amorphophallus microappendiculatus
• Conophallus sativus
• Arum rumphii
• Amorphophallus malaccensis
• Hydrosme gigantiflora
• Amorphophallus rex
• Amorphophallus campanulatus f. darnleyensis
• Amorphophallus sativus
• Amorphophallus virosus
• Amorphophallus chatty
• Amorphophallus dubius
• Amorphophallus dixenii
• Amorphophallus decurrens
• Amorphophallus campanulatus
• Amorphophallus campanulatus var. blumei
• Amorphophallus gigantiflorus
• Dunalia artensis
• Dracontium paeoniifolium
• Dracontium polyphyllum
• Plesmonium nobile

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Aliasmaetales and the family Araceae, it is classified under the genus Amorphophallus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across parts of Asia and the African islands. Within the Western Indian Ocean, it can be found growing in the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Seychelles. Its presence also extends into China, where it is located in the South-Central regions. Additionally, the species is documented to inhabit the tropical island of Hainan. These varied locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in distinct island and continental environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse altitudinal gradient, typically inhabiting lowland regions and extending up to moderate elevations. Its ecological distribution spans an elevational range starting from 0 m AMSL and reaching a maximum height of 800 m AMSL. This range allows the species to occupy various tropical and subtropical landscapes, where it often settles in moist, well-drained soils under forest canopies or in shaded areas, adapting to the specific humidity and temperature profiles found within these low-to-mid elevation habitats.

Elevational range max:

800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons through a specialized underground structure. As a geophyte, it relies on a large, starchy corm situated beneath the soil surface to store nutrients and survive periods of dormancy, which facilitates its regeneration annually. This survival strategy classifies it as a type of cryptophyte, as its vital organs are protected underground, shielded from external environmental stressors and seasonal fluctuations.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. This terrestrial plant is self-supporting rather than acting as a climber or vine, and it functions as an independent organism without parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species, with a plant height that ranges from a minimum of 0 m to a maximum of 0.5 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 0.8 m. As a strictly terrestrial species, it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, nor is it adapted to aquatic or semiaquatic environments.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.8 m

Plant height min:

0 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is characterized by a robust vegetative structure and specific metabolic processes. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation and energy production processes. Its foliage is substantial in size, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 30 cm to a maximum of 80 cm, while the leaf width varies significantly between a minimum of 40 cm and a maximum of 100 cm. In terms of water storage and tissue composition, the plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining standard leaf and stem hydration levels rather than specialized fleshy tissues. Additionally, it does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the availability of nitrogen within the soil substrate for its nutritional requirements.

Leaf length max:

80 cm

Leaf length min:

30 cm

Leaf width max:

100 cm

Leaf width min:

40 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is characterized by a complex biotic pollination syndrome, primarily relying on animal vectors rather than abiotic factors. The plant utilizes an entomophilous strategy, specifically targeting flies as its primary pollinators to facilitate fertilization. The reproductive structures feature large, distinctive flowers that can reach a maximum width of 25 cm, presenting a green coloration. Following successful pollination and the subsequent development of fruit, the dispersal syndrome is identified as anthropochorous, meaning the movement or spread of the plant's progeny is mediated by human activity.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

green

Flower width max:

25 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

fly

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of tropical medicine

Chemicals

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius has 30 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ALUMINUM, Ash, BORON, CALCIUM, CALCIUM OXALATE.

ALUMINUM

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

BORON

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM OXALATE

1. Dr. Duke

COPPER

1. Dr. Duke

ETHYL ACETATE

1. Nutrition and cancer

FAT

1. Dr. Duke

Flavonoid

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Flavonoids

1. Journal of tropical medicine

Activities

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius has 291 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include ACE-Inhibitor, Absorbent, Acarifuge, Acidulant, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor.

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Acarifuge

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic?

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, breast cancer, chronic diseases, wound healing.

Porphyromonas gingivalis

1. Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology

Prevotella intermedia

1. Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology

Breast cancer

1. Nutrition and cancer

Chronic diseases

1. Ayu

Wound healing

1. Recent advances in anti-infective drug discovery

Preparations

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius has 7 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanol extract, aqueous and ethanolic extracts, aqueous extract, ethanolic extract, ethanolic extracts.

Methanol extract

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts

1. Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology

Aqueous extract

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Ethanolic extract

1. Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology

Ethanolic extracts

1. Recent advances in anti-infective drug discovery

Hydrogel formulations

1. Recent advances in anti-infective drug discovery

Leaf extracts

1. Journal of tropical medicine