Elephant Foot Yam

Description:

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, the Elephant Yam, belongs to the Aroid family, Araceae. The family is characterised by its inflorescence, consisting of a fleshy spike of small flowers (spadix) usually subtended by a large bract (spathe). The plant produces a single inflorescence followed by a solitary leaf. The plant is deciduous, dying back to a large underground corm, weighing up to 8kg, after the growing season. The inflorescence comprises a large spadix crowned with a bulbous purple knob, encircled by a fleshy purple and green-blotched spathe up to 50cm wide. On successful pollination of the female flowers the spadix can extend to 2m tall. The fresh inflorescence emits an odor reminiscent of rotting flesh to attract pollinating carrion flies and beetles. The solitary leaf resembles a small tree. The leaf blade is much divided into hundreds of leaflets and can reach over 1m wide. This blade sits atop a thick fleshy stem up to 13cm diameter and 2m tall. The pustular surface of the stem is attractively blotched with paler shades of green.

Habitat:

Grassland on the campus of Pacific Adventist University, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Notes:

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius occurs through the tropics, from India to New Guinea and Australia. The species was previously called Amorphophallus campanulatus. The name means "paeony-leafed shapeless penis"! The plant is grown commercially for its tuber in some parts of the world.