Colocasia affinis

Colocasia affinis Schott

Colocasia affinis is a perennial herb in the Araceae family, native to regions including Assam, Bangladesh, China, India, and Nepal. It features stolons with tubercles and peltate, ovate-cordate leaves with purple spots. The inflorescence includes a pale green, cylindric peduncle, a constricted spathe, and a spadix with distinct female and male zones. It grows in moist, shaded environments, particularly in limestone areas.

Description

Colocasia affinis, described by Schott in 1859, is a terrestrial herb with stolons and tubercles. The stolons are pale green, thin, and branched, with triangular or ovate tubercles. Leaves are 3–7 in number, with pale green petioles and leaf blades marked with 4–6 pairs of large purple spots. The inflorescence consists of 1–3 flowers, with a pale green peduncle shorter than the petioles. The spathe is green and convoluted, with a reflexed limb that is yellow, greenish white, or yellowish. The spadix is sessile, with a short, cylindrical female zone and a yellowish or pale pink male zone. The plant is found in moist, shaded forest areas and hillsides in limestone regions.