Everything about Xanthosoma totally explained
Xanthosoma is a genus of about 50 species of tropical and sub-tropical arums in the
flowering plant family,
Araceae, all native to tropical
America. Several species are grown for their
starchy
corms, an important
food staple of tropical regions, known variously as
yautía,
new cocoyam,
tannia,
tannier,
macabo,
taioba ,
dasheen and
‘ape. Many other species (including especially
X. roseum) are utilized as
ornamental plants, and in popular horticultural literature are known as ‘ape or
elephant ear (from the purported resemblance of the leaf to an
elephant's
ear), although the latter name is sometimes also applied to members with similar appearance and uses in the closely related genera of
Caladium,
Colocasia (for example,
taro), and
Alocasia.
The
leaves of most
Xanthosoma species are 40-200 cm long, sagittate (arrowhead-shaped) or subdivided into 3 or as many as 18 segments. Unlike the leaves of
Colocasia, those of
Xanthosoma are usually not
peltate—the upper v-notch extends in to the point of attachment of the leaf
petiole to the blade.
Pollination biology
Inflorescences of
Xanthosoma are composed by a spadix with pistillate flowers
at the base, a belt of sterile flowers offered as a reward for
pollinators in the middle, and staminate flowers on the upper part.
Prior to opening, the inflorescence is enclosed within a leaf-like
spathe. When the inflorescence is ready to open, the upper part of
the spathe opens and exposes the staminate area of the spadix; the
basal area of the spathe remains closed, forming a spacious chamber
(for example, the spathe tube) that encloses the pistillate and sterile flowers
(García-Robledo et al. 2004; 2005a; 2005b).
Image:Arum flower.jpg|Inflorescence of X. roseum
Image:Inflo_detail.jpg|Inflorescence of X. daguense
Image:Pollination.jpg|Beetle pollination in X. daguense
Image:Infruc Xanthosoma copy.jpg|Infructescence of X. poeppigii (Peruvian Amazonas); X. daguense (Western Cordillera of Los Andes, Colombia)
The inflorescences last for two nights and are protogynous (but
see Valerio 1988),
changing from the pistillate phase that attracts pollinators on the
night it opens, to a staminate phase on the second night, when pollen
is shed (Garcıa-Robledo et al. 2004; 2005a; 2005b). When inflorescences open, produce heat and release a sweet scent attracting its pollinators, Dynastine beetles (
Cyclocephala spp.). Dinastines arrive covered with pollen from another inflorescence, and remain in the spathe
tube for 24 h, pollinating the pistillate flowers as they feed on the
sterile area of the spadix. On the second night, they come out of
the tube and walk over the staminate flowers, getting covered with
pollen and then flying to the nearest recently opened inflorescence (García-Robledo et al. 2004; 2005a; 2005b).
Fruit maturation takes several months. Fruits start to grow
within the shelter of the spathe tube. When the infructescence
is mature, in some species it arches back and downwards. In other species it stays erect. Then, the tissue of the spathe tube rolled
outwards, exhibiting the bright orange fruits and the
velvety pink inner spathe surface (García-Robledo et al. 2004; 2005a; 2005b).
Crop uses
Image:Bakweri cocoyam farmer from Cameroon.jpg|A Cameroonian man works his cocoyam field.
Image:casava for sale.jpg|Cocoyam corms for sale in a Cameroonian market
Domestication of
Xanthosoma species (especially
X. sagittifolium but also
X. atrovirens,
X. violaceum,
X. maffaffa, and others) is thought to have originated in northern lowland
South America then spread to the
Antilles and
Mesoamerica. Today
Xanthosoma is still grown in all those regions but is especially popular in
Cuba and
Puerto Rico, where it's used in
Alcapurrias. It is grown in
Trinidad and Tobago,
Guyana and
Jamaica to make the popular
callaloo dish.It is also grown in
West Africa, now a major producer, where it can be used as a replacement for
yams in a popular regional dish called
fufu.
Xanthosoma is also grown as a crop in the
Philippines.
(million metric ton)>
| |
2005 |
2006 |
|
225873 |
175000 |
|
59169 |
75070 |
|
- |
52000 |
|
33636 |
33636 |
|
31660 |
31660 |
| World Total |
420972 |
386000 |
| Data from The UN Food & Agriculture Organisation |
Traditionally
Xanthosoma has been a subsistence crop with excess sold at local markets, but in the
United States, large numbers of
Latin American immigrants have created a market for commercial production. In general, production has yet to meet demand in some areas. In Polynesia,
Xanthosoma (‘ape) was considered a
famine food, utilized only in the event of failure of the much preferred taro (
kalo) crop.
The typical
Xanthosoma plant has a growing cycle of 9 to 11 months, during which time it produces a large stem called a
corm, this surrounded by smaller edible
cormels about the size of
potatoes. These cormels (like the corm) are rich in starch. Their taste has been described as earthy and nutty and they're a common ingredient in soups and stews. They may also be eaten
grilled,
fried, or
puréed. The young, unfurled leaves of some varieties can be eaten as boiled
leafy vegetables or used in
soups and
stews, such as the Caribbean
callaloo.
Xanthosoma starch is highly
hypoallergenic due to the small size of the starch grains.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Xanthosoma'.
|
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