Cyrtosperma merkusii
Cyrtosperma merkusii
Safety & Hazards
The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals. These cause an extremely unpleasant sensation similar to needles being stuck into the mouth and tongue if they are eaten, but they are easily neutralized by thoroughly drying or cooking the plant or by steeping it in water[ 65 Title A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. Publisher Wolfe Year 1984 ISBN 0723408394 Description Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far. ].
Botanical Description
Cyrtosperma merkusii is a giant herbaceous perennial plant with typically 6 - 8 huge leaves arising from a short subterranean stem. The leaf blades are arrow shaped, 1 - 2 metres in length, and are borne on stout petioles, 1 - 2 metres long[ 429 Title Root Crops Publication Author Kay. D.E. Revised by Gooding. E.G.B. Publisher Tropical Development and Crop Research: London. Year 1987 ISBN Description Detailed information on about 40 species of tropical root crops. ]. A mature plant may reach 3 - 4 metres tall[ 429 Title Root Crops Publication Author Kay. D.E. Revised by Gooding. E.G.B. Publisher Tropical Development and Crop Research: London. Year 1987 ISBN Description Detailed information on about 40 species of tropical root crops. ]. Swamp taro is believed to be the largest plant in the world which produces edible corms[ 429 Title Root Crops Publication Author Kay. D.E. Revised by Gooding. E.G.B. Publisher Tropical Development and Crop Research: London. Year 1987 ISBN Description Detailed information on about 40 species of tropical root crops. ]. The plant is a staple food in some areas of Asia and the Pacific, where it is commonly cultivated for its corms, which provide a rich source of carbohydrate[ 300 Title Vegetables in the Tropics Publication Author Tindall. H. D. Publisher MacMillan, Oxford. Year 1983 ISBN 0-333-24268-8 Description An excellent, in-depth look at the main vegetable crops that can be grown in the Tropics, plus many less well-known plants. ]