Alocasia | |
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Alocasia macrorrhizos | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Alismatales |
Family: | Araceae |
Subfamily: | Aroideae |
Tribe: | Colocasieae |
Genus: | Alocasia (Schott) G.Don |
Type species | |
Alocasia cucullata | |
Range of the genus Alocasia. | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Alocasia is a genus of rhizomatous or tuberous, broad-leaved, perennial, flowering plants from the family Araceae. There are about 90 accepted species native to tropical and subtropical Asia and eastern Australia. [2] Around the world, many growers widely cultivate a range of hybrids and cultivars as ornamentals.
The large, cordate or sagittate leaves grow to a length of 20 to 90 cm (8 to 35 in) on long petioles. Their araceous flowers grow at the end of a short stalk, but are not conspicuous; often hidden behind the leaf petioles.
The corms of some species can be processed to make them edible, however, the raw plants contain raphid or raphide crystals of calcium oxalate along with other irritants (possibly including proteases) [3] that can numb and swell the tongue and pharynx. This can cause difficulty breathing and sharp pain in the throat. Lower parts of the plant contain the highest concentrations of the poison.
Prolonged boiling before serving or processing may reduce risk of adverse reactions. Additionally, acidic fruit such as tamarind may dissolve the raphides altogether. It's important to note, however, that this genus varies in toxicity, and can still be dangerous to ingest, even after taking precautions.
The following are the accepted species of Alocasia along with their common names (where available) and distribution ranges: [2]
Flower | Leaf | Scientific name | Distribution |
---|---|---|---|
Alocasia acuminata Schott | Indonesia | ||
Alocasia aequiloba N.E.Br. | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia alba Schott | Sri Lanka | ||
Alocasia arifolia Hallier f. | Malaysia | ||
Alocasia atropurpurea Engl. | Philippines | ||
Alocasia augustiana L.Linden & Rodigas | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia azlanii K.M.Wong & P.C.Boyce | Brunei | ||
Alocasia baginda Kurniawan & P.C.Boyce | Kalimantan | ||
Alocasia balgooyi A.Hay | Sulawesi | ||
Alocasia beccarii Engl. | Malaysia | ||
Alocasia boa A.Hay | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia boyceana A.Hay | Philippines | ||
Alocasia brancifolia (Schott) A.Hay | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia brisbanensis (F.M.Bailey) Domin: Cunjevoi, spoon lily | Australia | ||
Alocasia cadieri Chantrier | SE Asia | ||
Alocasia celebica Engl. ex Koord | Sulawesi | ||
Alocasia chaii P.C.Boyce | Sarawak | ||
Alocasia clypeolata A.Hay: Green shield | Philippines | ||
Alocasia cucullata (Lour.) G.Don in R.Sweet: Chinese taro | Southeast Asia | ||
Alocasia culionensis Engl. | Philippines | ||
Alocasia cuprea K.Koch | Borneo | ||
Alocasia decipiens Schott | Indonesia | ||
Alocasia decumbens Buchet | Vietnam | ||
Alocasia devansayana (L.Linden & Rodigas) Engl. | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia evrardii Gagnep. ex V.D.Nguyen | Cambodia to central Vietnam | ||
Alocasia fallax Schott | East Himalaya to Bangladesh | ||
Alocasia farisii Zulhazman, Norziel. & P.C.Boyce | Peninsular Malaysia | ||
Alocasia flabellifera A.Hay | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia flemingiana Yuzammi & A.Hay | Java | ||
Alocasia fornicata (Roxb.) Schott | India, Indonesia | ||
Alocasia gageana Engl. & K.Krause in H.G.A.Engler | Burma | ||
Alocasia grata Prain ex Engl. & Krause in H.G.A.Engler | Indonesia | ||
Alocasia hainanica N.E.Br. | Hainan to N. Vietnam | ||
Alocasia hararganjensis H.Ara & M.A.Hassan | Bangladesh | ||
Alocasia heterophylla (C.Presl) Merr. | Philippines | ||
Alocasia hollrungii Engl. | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia hypoleuca P.C.Boyce | Thailand | ||
Alocasia indica (Lour.) Spach | India, SE Asia, Java | ||
Alocasia infernalis P.C.Boyce | Borneo | ||
Alocasia inornata Hallier f. | Sumatra | ||
Alocasia jiewhoei V.D.Nguyen | Cambodia | ||
Alocasia kerinciensis A.Hay | Sumatra | ||
Alocasia lancifolia Engl. | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia lauterbachiana (Engl.) A.Hay | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia lecomtei Engl. | Vietnam | ||
Alocasia lihengiae C.L.Long & Q.Fang | Yunnan | ||
Alocasia longiloba Miq. | Malaysia | ||
Alocasia macrorrhizos (L.) G.Don in R.Sweet: Giant taro, elephant ear, ape flower | SE Asia, Australia, Pacific | ||
Alocasia maquilingensis Merr. | Philippines | ||
Alocasia megawatiae Yuzammi & A.Hay | Sulawesi | ||
Alocasia melo A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia micholitziana Sander: Green velvet alocasia | Philippines | ||
Alocasia minuscula A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia monticola A.Hay | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia navicularis (K.Koch & C.D.Bouché) K.Koch & C.D.Bouché | Himalaya | ||
Alocasia nebula A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia nicolsonii A.Hay | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia nycteris Medecilo, G.C.Yao & Madulid: Batwing alocasia | Philippines | ||
Alocasia odora (Lindl.) K.Koch: Night-scented lily | SE Asia, China | ||
Alocasia × okinawensis Tawada | Okinawa | ||
Alocasia pangeran A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia peltata M.Hotta | Borneo | ||
Alocasia perakensis Hemsl. | Malaysia | ||
Alocasia portei Schott | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia princeps W.Bull | Malaysia | ||
Alocasia principiculus A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia puber (Hassk.) Schott | Java | ||
Alocasia puteri A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia pyrospatha A.Hay | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia ramosii A.Hay | Philippines | ||
Alocasia reginae N.E.Br. | Borneo | ||
Alocasia reginula A.Hay: Black velvet | Sabah | ||
Alocasia reversa N.E.Br. | Philippines | ||
Alocasia ridleyi A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia rivularis Luu, Nguyen-Phi & H.T.Van | Vietnam | ||
Alocasia robusta M.Hotta | Borneo | ||
Alocasia salarkhanii H.Ara & M.A.Hassan | Bangladesh | ||
Alocasia sanderiana W.Bull | Philippines | ||
Alocasia sarawakensis M.Hotta | Borneo | ||
Alocasia scabriuscula N.E.Br. | Borneo | ||
Alocasia scalprum A.Hay: Samar lance | Philippines | ||
Alocasia simonsiana A.Hay | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia sinuata N.E.Br. | Philippines | ||
Alocasia suhirmaniana Yuzammi & A.Hay | Sulawesi | ||
Alocasia venusta A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia vietnamensis V.D.Nguyen | central Vietnam | ||
Alocasia wentii Engl. & K.Krause: New Guinea shield | New Guinea | ||
Alocasia wongii A.Hay | Borneo | ||
Alocasia yunqiana Z.X.Ma, Yifan Li & J.T.Yin | Yunnan | ||
Alocasia zebrina Veitch ex J.Dix | Philippines | ||
The following are hybrid species in the genus Alocasia:
The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(February 2017) |
Alocasia are tropical plants that are increasingly becoming popular as houseplants. [6] The hybrid A. × amazonica has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [7] They are typically grown as pot plants, but a better way is to grow the plants permanently in the controlled conditions of a greenhouse. They can tolerate dim light and cannot withstand direct sunlight. They should be cared for as any other tropical plant with weekly cleaning of the leaves, frequent fertilization and medium to high humidity. [8]
They rarely survive cold winters or the dryness of artificial heating, but an attempt to slowly acclimatize plants from the summer garden to the house can help. [9] Once inside, the watering period must be reduced and the plants should be protected from spider mites or red spider attack.
Colocasia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southeastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Some species are widely cultivated and naturalized in other tropical and subtropical regions.
Monstera deliciosa, the Swiss cheese plant or split-leaf philodendron is a species of flowering plant native to tropical forests of southern Mexico, south to Panama. It has been introduced to many tropical areas, and has become a mildly invasive species in Hawaii, Seychelles, Ascension Island and the Society Islands. It is very widely grown in temperate zones as a houseplant.
Chlorophytum comosum, usually called spider plant or common spider plant due to its spider-like look, also known as spider ivy, ribbon plant, and hen and chickens is a species of evergreen perennial flowering plant of the family Asparagaceae. It is native to tropical and Southern Africa but has become naturalized in other parts of the world, including Western Australia and Bangladesh. Chlorophytum comosum is easy to grow as a houseplant because of its resilience, but it can be sensitive to the fluoride in tap water, which commonly gives it "burnt tips". Variegated forms are the most popular.
Caladium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. They are often known by the common name elephant ear, heart of Jesus, and angel wings. There are over 1000 named cultivars of Caladium bicolor from the original South American plant.
Copernicia is a genus of palms native to South America and the Greater Antilles. Of the known species and nothospecies (hybrids), 22 of the 27 are endemic to Cuba. They are fan palms, with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. The species are small to medium-sized trees growing to 5–30 m tall, typically occurring close to streams and rivers in savanna habitats.
Aechmea fasciata is a species of flowering plant in the Bromeliaceae family. It is commonly called the silver vase or urn plant and is native to Brazil. This plant is probably the best known species in this genus, and it is often grown as a houseplant in temperate areas.
Alocasia sanderiana, commonly known as the kris plant or Sander's alocasia, is a plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to Northern Mindanao in the Philippines, but is commonly grown as an ornamental plant worldwide. It is classified as critically endangered in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Caryota is a genus of palm trees. They are often known as fishtail palms because of the shape of their leaves. There are about 13 species native to Asia, northern Australia, and the South Pacific. One of the more widely known species is Caryota urens, the flowers of which are used to make one type of jaggery, and also to make palm wine. Caryota mitis is native to Indochina, but has become an invasive introduced species in the US state of Florida. They are also one of the few Arecaceae with bipinnate foliage. Many grow in mountainous areas and are adapted to warm mediterranean climates as well as subtropical and tropical climates.
Alocasia odora is a flowering plant native to East and Southeast Asia. In Manipur, local name is Hoomu. Alocasia odora can be used as medicine for the treatment of common cold in North Vietnam.
Epipremnum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, found in tropical forests from China, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia to Australia the western Pacific. They are evergreen perennial vines climbing with the aid of aerial roots. They may be confused with other Monstereae such as Rhaphidophora, Scindapsus and Amydrium.
Alocasia macrorrhizos is a species of flowering plant in the arum family (Araceae) that it is native to rainforests of Maritime Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland and has long been cultivated in South Asia, the Philippines, many Pacific islands, and elsewhere in the tropics. Common names include giant taro, ʻape, giant alocasia, biga, and pia. In Australia it is known as the cunjevoi.
Alocasia fornicata is a plant species of many-nerved, broad-leaved, rhizomatous or tuberous perennials from the family Araceae, native to Indochina and to the Indian Subcontinent. It characteristically grows 2' - 3 ' in height with slightly pink petiole, triangular wide shaped leaves and a horizontally growing stolon.
Philodendron erubescens, the blushing philodendron or red-leaf philodendron, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to Colombia. It is a robust evergreen climber growing to 3–6 m (10–20 ft), with red stems and heart-shaped leaves up to 40 cm (16 in) in length. The flowers are deep red, fragrant spathes up to 15 cm (6 in) long, in summer and autumn. The specific epithet erubescens means "blushing".
Alocasia zebrina, commonly known as the zebra plant or zebrina alocasia, is a plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Leyte, Samar, Biliran, and Alabat in the Philippines. It is commonly grown as an ornamental plant worldwide. It is also locally known as gabing tigre in Tagalog. It is nationally listed as a threatened species and collection of A. zebrina from the wild is illegal in the Philippines.
Alocasia wentii, the hardy elephant's ear, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to the highlands of New Guinea. Occasionally kept as a houseplant, the unimproved species and some variegated cultivars are commercially available.
Alocasia gageana, the dwarf upright elephant ear or dwarf taro, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to the Kachin Hills of Myanmar. Reaching 4 ft (1 m), it is only a dwarf when compared to the giant upright elephant ear Alocasia odora or to taro. It makes for a large houseplant, or an outdoor ornamental plant in tropical or (nearly) frost-free subtropical areas.
Alocasia reginula, also known as 'Black Velvet', is a species of flowering cormous aroid, native to Sabah state in Malaysia. This plant, often referred to as one of the “jewel” Alocasias, has become increasingly popular among plant hobbyists between the years 2018-2020. Until as recently as 2021 though, not much was universally known about the plant or its origins. Originally described from cultivation, and often sold as “Alocasia 'Black Velvet'”, it is not a modern cultivar or hybrid; A. reginula is its own natural species. It is only known from dry, deeply shaded limestone cliffs in Tabin Wildlife Reserve. As a houseplant it needs sharp drainage or it will be very likely to rot.
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Alocasia brancifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to the Moluccas and New Guinea. With its heavily dissected leaves it is sometimes kept as a houseplant. There appears to be a cultivar, 'Pink Passion', in which the markings on the petioles are pink instead of the usual brown.
Alocasia longiloba is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae. It is the namesake of a species complex. The complex has a widespread distribution; Guangdong, Hainan, and southern Yunnan in China, mainland Southeast Asia, and western and central Malesia.