Xanthosoma violaceum - Purplestem Taro

Purplestem Taro is closely similar to Arrowleaf Elephant Ear but is easily recognised by its pure violet parts, leaf-stalks with purplish sheath margins, major nerves, flower-cluster-stalks, etc. They stay violet even after the wax is scratched from its surface, whereas in Arrowleaf Elephant Ear, aerial parts are green. In Purplestem Taro spadix with sterile portion is pink and posterior rib of leaf blade not at all naked or nearly so and the base lobes are rounded at tip. In Arrowleaf Elephant Ear spadix with sterile portion is white or yellow; posterior rib of leaf blade striped at least 1 cm and base lobes are rounded at tip. It is a Perennial herb, 1-1.5 m tall. Leaf blade is 60-100 cm long, arrow shaped to nearly so, tip has a short sharp point. Inflorescences are 4-6 per axil; flower-cluster-stalk 40-45 x 3-4 cm, violet green, furrowed at one side, bracts pinkish. Spathe is 24-30 cm long; tube ovoid, 7-8 x 2-3 cm, violet outside, reddish inside; limb 15-16 x 7-8 cm, yellowish green, margin tinged with purple pink. Spadix is 20-25 cm long; surrounded by pink membrane; staminate portion 10-12 cm long, 1-1.2 cm wide at base, 0.4 cm at tip, creamy pink. In the Eastern Ghats, tubers of the plant are boiled and eaten with salt and pepper. It is widely cultivated from Nepal to NE India, and in Eastern Ghats.