Alocasia macrorrhiza

Alocasia, giant alocasia, giant taro

Herbaceous plant with large heart-shaped leaves up to 1.5 m long that contain a milky juice. The wild variety has a pungent taste caused by oxalate crystals which also cause the mouth to itch. Cultivated forms do not have this property, and the leaves, stalks and black rhizome can be fed to animals.