Flora of New Zealand Series

Elephant' s Ear

Large robust plants with thick fleshy rhizome; sap milky. Stem thick, in mature plants trunk-like, to 5 m × 30 cm, with leaf scars, lower part often lying along ground. Leaves large; laminae ovate-sagittate, cuspidate, to 75 × 50 cm, erect, entire, leathery, deep shining green, or green with white patches, veins prominent below, margins often ± undulate, basal lobes obtuse, rounded; petioles to 1.2 m long, lower half sheathing, light green with brown or purple speckles. Spathe with basal cylindric pale green tube c. 7 cm long, limb expanded, boat-shaped, bluish-green to yellowish, to 15 cm long; peduncle terete, to 20 cm long. Spadix fragrant, ± = spathe; basal female zone to 3 cm long, narrower sterile zone 3.5 cm long, upper male zone 5-6 cm long, terminal appendage 5-6 cm long, thick, obtuse, light creamy-yellow to orange. Berry scarlet or orange, glossy, ± 1 cm diam., 1-4-seeded.

K., N. North Auckland; South Auckland; Bay of Plenty. S. Nelson City. Grassy waste land and under trees.

(Probably from Ceylon or Tahiti but has been in cultivation throughout the tropics for many centuries and its origin is difficult to determine)

First record: Hooker 1867: 762, as "Alocasia indica Schott".

First collection: "Tapuka Point, one ml. N. of Russell", Doore, Earle and Philson, 21.1.1935 (K).

FL. 1-4.