Xanthosoma

Xanthosoma represents a genus of nearly 50 species of tropical and sub-tropical arums belonging to the family Araceae. They all originate from the tropical America.

Some species are widely planted for their starch-like corms, which is an essential food staple of tropical regions, commonly called as malanga, new cocoyam, tannia, tannier, macabo, taioba , dasheen and ‘ape. The most species make fantastic ornamentals, being common in horticultural literature; they are called as ‘ape or elephant ear with the reference to the leaf’s shape looking like an elephant's ear.

The leaves of the majority of Xanthosoma species grow from 0,4 to 2 m in length. They can be either arrowhead-shaped or split into 3 to 18 elements.

Customary Xanthosoma has been a subsistence crop immensely-demanded in local shops. Within some time in America appeared a market for commercial corn manufacture made by plenty of Latin US immigrants.

Xanthosoma sagittifolium

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