XanthosomaEnglish: Elephant ear (also applied to Caladium, Colocasia, Alocasia.
Names: malanga, otoy, otoe, cocoyam, tannia, tannier, yautía, macabo, ocumo, macal, taioba, dasheen, quequisque, ape, Singapore taro , taro kongkong.
Clades: Araceae.
Region: tropical America; cultivated and naturalized in other tropical regions.
Use: starchy corms for food staple; ornamental.

BotanyLeaves: large, 40 to 200 cm long; sagittate, or subdivided into three or as many as 18 segments; not peltate.
Inflorescence: spadix, pistillate flowers at the base, sterile flowers in the middle and staminate flowers on the upper part; enclosed by a leaf-like spathe; opening in parts, first the upper part and the basal area remains closed; last for two nights; produces heat and a sweet scent.
Pollination: by dynastine beetles, Cyclocephala species, remaining in the spathe tube for 24 hours
Fruits: develop within the shelter of the spathe tube; bright orange, velvety pink inner spathe surface.