Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants
Alocasia macrorhiza
Family: Araceae (arum family)
Genus: Alocasia
Botanical name: Alocasia macrorhiza
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit: Mahapatra
Hindi: Mankanda
English: Giant taro, Upright elephant ear, Giant ape
Malayalam: Maranchempu, Chempu
Genus: Alocasia
Botanical name: Alocasia macrorhiza
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit: Mahapatra
Hindi: Mankanda
English: Giant taro, Upright elephant ear, Giant ape
Malayalam: Maranchempu, Chempu
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Giant taro is a massive perennial with huge elephant ear leaves 3-6 ft in length and 2-4 ft wide borne on leaf stalks 2-4 ft long. The petioles emerge from a stout upright trunk that can stand 6 ft tall. Their beautiful araceous flowers grow at the end of short stalk, but are not conspicuous, often hidden behind the leaf petioles. The stem (a corm) is edible, but contains raphid crystals of oxalic acid that can numb and swell the tongue and pharynx. The corms require prolonged boiling before serving or processing as a food.
The leaf steam and root of Giant taro is use for joint pain, treatment of Injuries, and earache.