Scientific name: Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott

Family: Araceae                                

Synonym: Arum esculenta L., Arum colocasia L.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Kachu, Mukhikachu, Bahumukhi, Mokaddam kachu.

Tribal name: Billo hugu, Jharbo kochu (Chakma); Byerey-tyjing (Khumi); Balkung (Lushai); Pring-bawn (Rakhaing); Ara kachu, Chara kachu (Tanchangya); Pengbri bang, Banduk kachu, Sung faoua sarakan (Marma); Moitok bofang (Tripura).

English name: Taro, Dasheen, Eddo, Cocoyam.

Description of the plant: Perennial herb with underground tubers, large main tuber or corm with a few side tubers, tuber usually cylindrical, sometimes stolons are produced from the main tuber or corm. Leaves petiolate, petiole 30-85 cm long, sheathing for about 25-35 cm at the base, leaf blade peltate, ovate, acute, cordate, dark green above and light green beneath, base shallowly cordate, glaucous, venation pinnately reticulate. Spathe pale yellow, 15-35 cm long; spadix much shorter than the spathe.

Colocasia esculenta

Plant parts used: Leaf.

Medicinal uses: Fresh juice extracted from the leaves of the plant is advised to apply externally on the cutting wound for stop bleeding.

Paste prepared from leaves of the plant, plaster is made on the fractured bone with that paste and is kept for two days and needs to replace twice or thrice.

Paste made from leaves of the plant is applied on the biting place twice a day for two days to treat poisonous insect stings.

Fresh juice extracted from the leaf petiole of the plant is applied once in the affected throat by inserting another petiole through the mouth to treat tonsillitis.

Distribution: In most of the districts, cultivated and wild.

Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….

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