Alocasia odora

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Alismatales

Familia: Araceae
Subfamilia: Aroideae
Tribus: Colocasieae
Genus: Alocasia
Species: Alocasia odora
Name

Alocasia odora (G.Lodd.) Spach, 1846
Synonyms

Basionym
Arum odorum G.Lodd., Bot. Cab. 5: t. 416 (1820).
Homotypic
Caladium odorum (G.Lodd.) Ker Gawl., Bot. Reg. 8: t. 641 (1822).
Colocasia odora (G.Lodd.) Brongn., Nouv. Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. 3: 145 (1834).
Heterotypic
Colocasia odora var. rubra Hassk., Flora 25(2, Beibl. 1): 9 (1842).
Colocasia odora var. viridis Hassk., Flora 25(2, Beibl. 1): 9 (1842).
Arum odoratum Heynh., Alph. Aufz. Gew.: 46 (1846), orth. var.
Alocasia commutata Schott, Oesterr. Bot. Wochenbl. 4: 409 (1854).
Caladium odoratissimum K.Koch, Berliner Allg. Gartenzeitung 1857: 20 (1857).
Alocasia subodorata Engl. & K.Krause in H.G.A.Engler, Pflanzenr., IV, 23E: 113 (1920).
Alocasia tonkinensis Engl., Pflanzenr., IV, 23E: 91 (1920).

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Asie
Assam; Bangladesh; Borneo; Cambodia; China South-Central; China Southeast; Hainan; Japan; Laos; Myanmar; Nansei-shoto; Sri Lanka; Taiwan; Thailand; Vietnam

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References

Spach, É., 1846. Hist. Nat. Vég. 12:46. 1846
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. [1]

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2018. Alocasia odora in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2018 Nov. 03. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Alocasia odora. Published online. Accessed: Nov. 03 2018.
The Plant List 2013. Alocasia odora in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published online. Accessed: 2018 Nov. 03.
Tropicos.org 2018. Alocasia odora. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 03 Nov. 2018.

Vernacular names
English: Asian taro
русский: Алоказия пахучая
中文: 姑婆芋

Alocasia odora (also called night-scented lily, Asian taro or giant upright elephant ear) is a flowering plant native to East and Southeast Asia (Japan, China, Indochina, Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, Taiwan).[1][2] In Manipur, local name is Hoomu. Alocasia odora (called Ray) can be used as medicine for the treatment of common cold in North Vietnam.[3]

The plant is actually inedible when raw because of needle-shaped raphides (calcium oxalate crystals) in the plant cells.[4] In Japan, there are several cases of food poisoning by accidental consumption. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare warned not to eat A. odora (Kuwazuimo), which looks similar to edible Colocasia gigantea (Hasuimo) or Colocasia esculenta (Satoimo).[5][6][7]

This plant is grows to about 0.5–1.6 m high, with rhizomes of about 4–10 m high and 3–5 cm wide.[8] The leaves are big and blade-shaped, ovate, light green with cordate base. The petioles are 0.3–1.0 m long, with the lower parts clasped around the stem.[9]

The plant is a member of the genus Alocasia, and is thus related to taro.
References

Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
"Alocasia odora (Lodd.) Spach., 1846". TaiBNET. Taiwan: Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia_Sinica. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
MATSUDA M and NAWATA E (2002) "Taro in Northern Vietnam : Its Uses, Cultivation, and Genetic Variation" Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture, 46/4, p.252
Jeong Mi Moon, et al. 'Toxicities of raw Alocasia odora', Human & Experimental Toxicology. Abstract
"「クワズイモ」誤食に注意呼び掛け　厚労省 高知・四万十市で食中". 日本経済新聞.
後藤勝実、月岡淳子. "クワズイモ". 自然毒のリスクプロファイル. 厚生労働省.
さいたま市保健福祉局 健康科学研究センター 生活科学課 (2012年11月19日). "食べられないイモ『クワズイモ』". さいたま市.
"Alocasia Odora Variegata - Everything You Need to Know". Gardening it. 2020-04-08. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
Tanaka, Yoshitaka; Van Ke, Nguyen (2007). Edible Wild Plants of Vietnam: The Bountiful Garden. Thailand: Orchid Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-9745240896.