kalo

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Taro
• Wild Taro
• cocoyam
• dasheen
• eddo
• elephant's-ear
• Katchu
• Arum-Lily Potatoes
• Donkey's Ear
• Native Cabbage
• elephant-ear

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Arum nymphaeifolium
• Caladium colocasioides
• Caladium esculentum
• Colocasia acris
• Colocasia peltata
• Colocasia nymphaeifolia
• Leucocasia esculenta
• Colocasia antiquorum var. acris
• Caladium antiquorum
• Colocasia esculenta var. globulifera
• Colocasia antiquorum var. rupicola
• Colocasia antiquorum var. stolonifera
• Colocasia esculenta var. aquatilis
• Colocasia esculenta var. stolonifera
• Colocasia formosana
• Colocasia konishii
• Calla gaby
• Caladium nymphaeifolium
• Arum peltatum
• Arum esculentum
• Arum lividum
• Arum chinense
• Arum colocasia
• Arum colocasioides
• Alocasia dussii
• Alocasia illustris
• Aron colocasium
• Caladium violaceum
• Caladium violaceum
• Colocasia aegyptiaca
• Colocasia antiquorum
• Caladium esculentum bataviensis
• Caladium glycyrrhizum
• Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum
• Colocasia esculenta var. rupicola
• Caladium acre
• Colocasia antiquorum var. patens
• Colocasia euchlora
• Colocasia vulgaris
• Colocasia antiquorum var. rosea
• Colocasia esculenta f. ebiimo
• Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta
• Colocasia tonoimo
• Colocasia esculenta f. rotundifolia
• Colocasia vera
• Colocasia antiquorum var. euchlora
• Colocasia violacea
• Caladium violaceum var. alboviolaceum
• Colocasia neocaledonica
• Colocasia antiquorum var. illustris
• Colocasia gracilis
• Caladium divaricatum
• Colocasia himalensis
• Colocasia antiquorum var. nymphaeifolia
• Colocasia antiquorum f. acuatica
• Caladium parimaense
• Colocasia antiquorum f. eguimo
• Colocasia antiquorum f. oyasetage
• Caladium nigrescens
• Colocasia antiquorum f. purpurea
• Colocasia esculenta var. acris
• Colocasia antiquorum f. yamamotoi
• Caladium atrovirens
• Colocasia antiquorum var. multifolia
• Colocasia esculenta var. euchlora
• Colocasia esculenta var. illustris
• Colocasia esculenta var. nymphaeifolia
• Colocasia antiquorum var. globulifera

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. Following the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Alismatales, it is a member of the family Araceae. It is formally identified by the genus Colocasia, specifically as the species Colocasia esculenta.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the Mediterranean region. In Southwestern Europe, its presence is documented across the islands of Baleares and Sardegna. It also grows within the territories of Spain and Portugal. Furthermore, the species extends into Southeastern Europe, specifically within Italy. These diverse locations highlight its ability to thrive in various coastal and temperate environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Colocasia esculenta is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution and a preference for specific moisture-rich environments. This species thrives across a wide elevational range, extending from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 2700 m AMSL. Its habitat preferences include coastal regions, where it typically colonizes damp, nutrient-rich soils. The plant is ecologically adapted to various hydrological conditions, often found in areas with high water availability, ranging from riparian zones to marshy coastal lowlands, allowing it to maintain its physiological requirements across its extensive vertical distribution.

Elevational range max:

2700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Coastal

Genetics

The genetics of Colocasia esculenta are characterized by significant karyotypic variability and a diverse range of chromosomal configurations. The species exhibits a broad spectrum of chromosome numbers, with documented values including 14, 22, 26, 28, 30, 36, 38, 42, and 48. Despite this wide numerical variation across different cultivars and accessions, the fundamental ploidy level is typically identified as 2, indicating a diploid state. This chromosomal plasticity plays a crucial role in the genetic diversity and evolutionary adaptation of the plant.

Chromosome number :

14, 22, 26, 28, 30, 36, 38, 42, 48

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Colocasia esculenta is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a cryptophyte, specifically categorized as a geophyte, which means it survives unfavorable environmental conditions by storing nutrients in underground organs such as its characteristic corms. Regarding its foliage, the plant is classified as evergreen, maintaining its leaf structure throughout much of its active cycle, though its overall survival strategy relies heavily on its ability to regenerate from these subterranean storage structures.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Colocasia esculenta is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, typically manifesting as a self-supporting, independent organism rather than a parasite or epiphyte. It is a terrestrial plant that exhibits an erect shoot orientation, growing without the need for climbing structures such as lianas or vines. The plant's stature varies significantly depending on environmental conditions, with a height range spanning from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 2 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Colocasia esculenta is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic efficiency and resource utilization in its natural environment. The plant's foliage is notably diverse in dimension, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 10 cm to a maximum of 60 cm, while the leaf width fluctuates between 5 cm and 35 cm. These leaves exhibit an oblong form and are not classified as succulent, indicating a standard leaf structure designed for efficient transpiration and gas exchange rather than water storage. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the availability of nitrogen within the soil rather than symbiotic atmospheric fixation to support its physiological processes and growth.

Leaf form :

oblong

Leaf length max:

60 cm

Leaf length min:

10 cm

Leaf width max:

35 cm

Leaf width min:

5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Colocasia esculenta occurs through both sexual and asexual mechanisms, with asexual reproduction being a present and common method for the species. Sexual reproduction is characterized by bisexual flowers that are green in color, produced on an inflorescence that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.09 m to a maximum of 0.15 m in length. The pollination process is biotic, specifically relying on an insect pollination syndrome. In terms of fertilization, self-fertilization is absent, necessitating cross-pollination. Following successful fertilization, the plant produces orange-colored, indehiscent fruits classified as berries. These berries are relatively small, with lengths ranging from 0.3 cm to 0.5 cm and widths reaching up to 0.4 cm. Each fruit contains a significant number of seeds, typically ranging from 11 to 100 per fruit. The individual seeds are minute, featuring a mean mass of 0.039 g, with lengths between 1.2 mm and 1.5 mm and widths between 0.7 mm and 1 mm. Seed dispersal is categorized by an unspecialized syndrome, though the species also exhibits anthropochorous dispersal, meaning it is frequently spread by human activity.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

green

Fruit colour :

orange

Fruit length max:

0.5 cm

Fruit length min:

0.3 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width max:

0.4 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.15 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.09 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length max:

1.5 mm

Seed length min:

1.2 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.039 g

Seed width max:

1 mm

Seed width min:

0.7 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Colocasia esculenta has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower.

Leaf

1. Journal of tropical medicine
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Flower

1. Food science & nutrition

Chemicals

Colocasia esculenta has 78 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Tannins, Flavonoids, Glycosides, STARCH, Saponins.

Tannins

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Journal of tropical medicine
4. Scientific reports

Flavonoids

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Journal of tropical medicine
3. Scientific reports

Glycosides

1. Journal of tropical medicine
2. Scientific reports

STARCH

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nutrition in clinical care : an official publication of Tufts University

Saponins

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Journal of tropical medicine

ALUMINUM

1. Dr. Duke

AMYLOPECTIN

1. Dr. Duke

AMYLOSE

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Asperpyrone B

1. AMB Express

Activities

Colocasia esculenta has 380 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, ACE-Inhibitor, Absorbent.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Animal models and experimental medicine

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Animal models and experimental medicine

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Acarifuge

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Adjuvant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Colocasia esculenta has 13 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include diabetes mellitus, wound healing, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, anemia, antihyperglycemic.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations