Colocasia Esculenta
Viduya, Michelle-Janelle M. 2Bio7
Family Araceae
Genus: Colocasia
Species: esculenta
Colocasia esculenta or also known as taro or gabi was first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753 as two separate species- Arum colocasia and Arum esculentum. Herinrich Wilhelm Schott who is one of the most important plant taxonomists of the 19th Century dedicated a large part of his life to the Araceae family. In 1832, he reclassified Arum colocasia as Colocasia antiquorum and Arum esculentum as Colocasia esculentum. The nomenclature changed again in 1939, this time to Colocasia esculenta. Albert Hill, in his paper ‘Nomenclature of the Taro and its Varieties,’ chose this name because it contains the two epithets-Colocasia and Esculenta.
Colocasia esculenta is a long-stalked herbaceous plant with individual shoots that may reach a height of 30 to 150 centimeters but may vary depending on the climate and cultivation factors. Rootstock is tuberous, up to 10 centimeters in diameter. The morphology of Aroideae, which involves C. esculenta, includes the spadix and spathe inflorescence which is present in all members of this subfamily. The species of Colocasia are monoecious wherein the female flowers are situated at the base of the spadix and the male flowers above. A spadix is a specialised form of spike inflorescence where small, sessile, individual flowers are tightly packed onto a fleshy core. The spathe which is a large bract partially enclosing the spadix surrounds the latter and the space formed between these two structures serves as a resting place and shelter for insect pollinators.
Another characteristic that can be seen in Aroids, particularly in C. esculenta is protogyny. This process involves the female flowers becoming fertile and receptive before the male flowers to help ensure successful cross pollination.
The leaves are 20 to 50 centimeters, broad, long-petioled, ovate and are in groups of two or three. The shape is peltate in almost all species. Leaves
Family Araceae
Genus: Colocasia
Species: esculenta
Colocasia esculenta or also known as taro or gabi was first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753 as two separate species- Arum colocasia and Arum esculentum. Herinrich Wilhelm Schott who is one of the most important plant taxonomists of the 19th Century dedicated a large part of his life to the Araceae family. In 1832, he reclassified Arum colocasia as Colocasia antiquorum and Arum esculentum as Colocasia esculentum. The nomenclature changed again in 1939, this time to Colocasia esculenta. Albert Hill, in his paper ‘Nomenclature of the Taro and its Varieties,’ chose this name because it contains the two epithets-Colocasia and Esculenta.
Colocasia esculenta is a long-stalked herbaceous plant with individual shoots that may reach a height of 30 to 150 centimeters but may vary depending on the climate and cultivation factors. Rootstock is tuberous, up to 10 centimeters in diameter. The morphology of Aroideae, which involves C. esculenta, includes the spadix and spathe inflorescence which is present in all members of this subfamily. The species of Colocasia are monoecious wherein the female flowers are situated at the base of the spadix and the male flowers above. A spadix is a specialised form of spike inflorescence where small, sessile, individual flowers are tightly packed onto a fleshy core. The spathe which is a large bract partially enclosing the spadix surrounds the latter and the space formed between these two structures serves as a resting place and shelter for insect pollinators.
Another characteristic that can be seen in Aroids, particularly in C. esculenta is protogyny. This process involves the female flowers becoming fertile and receptive before the male flowers to help ensure successful cross pollination.
The leaves are 20 to 50 centimeters, broad, long-petioled, ovate and are in groups of two or three. The shape is peltate in almost all species. Leaves