Wagner, Warren L., Derral R. Herbst and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i (Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Special Publication, 2 Vol. Set). Honolulu, HI
Flora of Hawaii:
Distribution Thought to be native to India, widely cultivated throughout the tropics for its edible rootstock. In the Hawaiian Islands, a Polynesian introduction on Ni`ihau, Kaua`i, O`ahu, Moloka`i, Lana`i, Maui, Hawai`i.
Habit Acaulescent perennial herbs up to ca. 1 m tall, with thick, starchy underground corm, often forming clumps by offsets (daughter corms).
Leaves Leaves petiolate; leaf blades glaucescent on lower surface, ovate cordate to sagittate cordate, peltate, 25-50 cm long, 12-32 cm wide, anterior lobe 3-4 times longer than posterior lobes, posterior lobes connate for 1/3-3/4 their length, venation dark purple to yellow on lower surface, green on upper surface, primary lateral veins 3-8 per side, petioles terete, sheathed in basal 1/2, 40-180 cm long, green, green splotched with purple, or purple, fading to pink near base, sometimes with a yellow or dark red spot on upper surface near base.
Flowers Inflorescences 2-7 together, peduncle 15-50 cm long; spathe linear lanceolate, (10-)15-40 cm long, constricted 4-6 cm from base to form a greenish, oblong tube, the limb deflexed, yellowish; spadix exserted, 1/4-1/3 as long as spathe, 6-14 cm long, pistillate portion up to 2.5 cm long, sterile staminate portion constricted, 1.5-5 cm long, fertile staminate portion 2-4 cm long, with a shorter and narrower sterile appendage; male flowers with 3-6 stamens united together; female flowers with the ovary embedded in the spadix, stigma sessile.
Fruit Berries ellipsoid, 3-5 mm in diam., many-seeded.
Seeds Seeds ovoid, 1.2-1.5 mm long, 0.7-1 mm wide.
