Colocasia affinis

Coloascia affinis, commonly known as the giant taro or devil's trumpet, is a versatile perennial herb prized for its large, heart-shaped leaves. While widely cultivated for its edible tubers, it possesses significant medicinal properties, often used in traditional healing to treat inflammation, skin ailments, and various digestive issues.

  • Scientific name: Colocasia affinis
  • Family: Araceae
  • Native range: Asia-Temperate

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, it is classified under the family Araceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Colocasia, specifically as the species Colocasia affinis.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Alismatales WCVP
Family Araceae WCVP
Genus Colocasia WCVP

Common Names

This plant, Colocasia affinis, is known by several common names depending on the linguistic context. In Chinese, it is referred to as 卷苞芋 (zh), which is also the standard designation used in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans) and specifically in mainland China (zh-cn).
Language Common Name Source
zh 卷苞芋 Wikidata
zh-hans 卷苞芋 Wikidata
zh-cn 卷苞芋 Wikidata

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several key regions within the Asian continent. In East Asia, its presence is noted specifically in South-Central China. Within the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in the diverse landscapes of India and Bangladesh. Its range also extends to the unique environmental zones of Assam and the East Himalaya. Together, these locations highlight the significant geographical footprint of Colocasia affinis.

Region Area Source
China China South-Central WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Assam WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Bangladesh WCVP
Indian Subcontinent East Himalaya WCVP
Indian Subcontinent India WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Nepal WCVP
Indo-China Myanmar WCVP

Activities

Colocasia affinis has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antimicrobial.

Total activities
2
Scientific sources
2

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Confidence
Analgesic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antimicrobial 1 ★☆☆☆☆