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Alocasia odora (G.Lodd.) Spach
| Family Name: | Araceae |
| Synonyms: | Arum odorum Roxb. ex Lodd., G.Lodd. & W.Lodd. <3>, Alocasia odora K. Koch nom. illeg. <3>, Alocasia tonkinensis Engl. & K.Krause, Arum odoratum Rieder |
| Common Name: | Asian Taro, Night Scented Lily, Giant Upright Elephant's Ear |
The Asian Taro is large perennial herb that can grow up to 2.5 m. It has a rosette of large, erect leaves and occasionally produces fragrant, night-blooming inflorescences and red berries. This species can be differentiated from the similar-looking Giant Taro (Alocasia macrorrhizos) by the closed sinus near the tip of the petioles and production of offshoots near the base.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Herbaceous Plant |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 2.5 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | India through southwest China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and east to Japan (Ryukyu islands) |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest, Riverine) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Spontaneous (Naturalised)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is an evergreen herb that can reach up to 2.5 m with occasional offshoots growing at the base. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | The leaves are held upright and arranged in a rosette at the tip of the stems. The petioles (leaf stalks) can grow up to 1.5 m long. The leaf blades are heart-shaped or rounded arrowhead-shaped, growing up to 1.3 m long and 1 m wide. The sinus (the space where the petiole connects to the leaf blades and posterior lobes in aroids) is closed, forming a U-shaped 'webbing' near the petiole. |
| Stems | The stems are underground corms (thick, often round, modified stems) that elongate as the plant ages, either growing erect or "snaking" on the ground. |
| Flowers | The inflorescence is an off-white spadix comprising of an appendix (a sterile rod-like upper portion of the spadix) and tiny fertile flowers in the lower portion. The spadix is subtended by a spathe; an upper portion is open, creamish or off-white, and hood-like, and a greenish-blue enclosed portion surrounding the female flowers, separated by a tight 'waist'. The flowers are fragrant, particularly at night. |
| Fruit | The infructescence is composed of multiple globose berries that turn red when ripe. When semi-matured, the berries are covered by the greenish-blue enclosed portion of the spathe, which peels back as the fruits mature. |
| Reproductive Parts - non-flowering plant | It produces short stolons that end in brown, round tubercles (small, corm-like organs that grow into new plants). |
| Habitat | It can be found in primary and secondary tropical rain forests, bamboo thickets, riverbanks, and swamps, sometimes on limestone, at elevations below 1700 m sea level. Naturalised in Singapore, it is often found in open disturbed land, and sometimes among urban landscaping. |
| Similar | This species is often confused with Alocasia macrorrhizos but can be differentiated by A. odora having a closed sinus as compared to A. macrorrhizos with an open sinus. Additionally, A. macrorrhizos does not produce stolons or offshoots from the base of the stems. |
| Associated Fauna | The flowers are pollinated flies of the species Colocasiomyia alocasiae and C. xenalocasiae <4>. The fruits are dispersed by birds, probably bulbuls (Pycnonotus spp.) and koels (Eudynamys spp.) <2>. |
| Cultivation | This species grows best in bright light with light shade and moist, but well-drained loamy soil. However, it can tolerate shade to full sun and sandy to clayey soils. |
| Etymology | The generic epithet Alocasia is derived from Greek terms a "not" and kolokāsiā "lotus root", alluding to its similarity to Colocasia, a closely-allied genus. The specific epithet odora refers to the fragrant flowers. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage, Fragrant (Flowers) (Night) |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | General, Parks & Gardens, Riverine |
| Thematic Landscaping | Naturalistic Garden, Bird & Wildlife Garden |
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Toxic Upon Ingestion, Invasive / Potentially Invasive |
| Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks | Irritant Sap/ Toxic Upon Ingestion: The slightly milky sap contains calcium oxalate raphides, which are needle-shaped crystals that can cause irritation to skin, mouth and throat. Keep plants away from children and pets. |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting (Fruits) |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Ant, Beetle, Fly, Thrip, Wasp)) |
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Biotic (Fauna) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade, Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water, Lots of Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast to Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Easy to Grow, Poor Infertile Soils |
| Propagation Method | Division, Stolon / Runner, Storage Organ (Corm), Seed |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth, Leathery, Thick |
| Foliar Modification | Flower/Fruit Bract |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Rosulate / Rosette |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Cordate, Ovate, Sagittate) |
| Foliar Venation | Palmate |
| Foliar Margin | Entire, Entire - Wavy / Undulate |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate |
| Foliar Base | Cordate |
| Typical Foliar Area | Megaphyll (>1640.25cm2 ) |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Monocot) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Herbaceous, Runner / Stolon, Shortened Internodes |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground (Fibrous Root) |
| Specialised Storage Organ(s) | Underground (Corm) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Unisexual Flowers , Monoecious |
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White, White |
|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Powdery / Waxy Bloom |
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Inflorescence Type | Spathe & Spadix |
| Ovary Position | Superior / Hypogynous |
| Flowering Period | Free-Flowering |
| Flowering Opening Time | Night (dusk to dawn) |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Red, Orange |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Glossy / Shiny |
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | <1> Boyce, P.C. (2008). A review of Alocasia (Araceae: Colocasiae) for Thailand including a novel species and new species records from South-West Thailand. Thai For. Bull. (Bot.) 36:1-17 |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 21735 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 3361 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
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