VEGETABLES AXD FOOD PRODUCTS 227 



Station, considers that the name "Taro" rightly belongs only to 

 varieties of Colocasia esculent tint* a native of the Old World ; whilst 

 the rest of the names given above should be exclusively applied to 

 species or varieties of Xanthosoma, all cultivated forms of which 

 may be considered as having been derived from the three species 

 A". sagiUaefoIium, X. atrovirens, and X. violaceum. Thus the Taro 

 (Colocasia) and its varieties are distinct by having the leaf peltate, 

 i. e., with the petiole (leaf-stalk) attached to the margin; whilst with 

 the Xanthosoma (" Tannias," " Yautias," "Cocoes," etc.) the leaf is 

 never peltate, but has the leaf-stalk attached to the margin of the 

 blade, and the latter is usually prolonged into two lobes at the base. 



This group of handsome tropical plants are among the oldest 

 cultivated crops of the world, and are found everywhere in a more 

 or less cultivated state throughout the tropics. They furnish edible 

 under-ground tubers (rhizomes), not unlike artichokes, and the 

 young tender leaves are boiled and eaten as spinach. Though a 

 stand-bye vegetable in native gardens, it does not find much favour 

 with Europeans. In Hawaii and parts of South America, Yautias 

 are grown somewhat extensively, either for food or for the com- 

 mercial starch obtained from the tubers. The plants do best in a 

 rich humous moist soil, and may be planted all the year round ; 

 they will thrive in Ceylon up to 3,000 feet or higher, and to some 

 extent in the drier districts if irrigated. Propagation is effected by 

 means of the tubers or division of the crowns. In the West Indies, 

 Tannias are recommended for planting out as shade for young 

 plantations of Cocoa, etc. 



VARIETIES : There are numerous varieties in cultivation, the following 

 being the principal ones occurring in Ceylon. 



Colocasia: Leaves peltate, leaf-stalks and tubers eaten :--"Kiri-ala" (very 

 pale green leaves), "Kandala," "Thadala," "Kalu-ala" (leaf-stalks 

 purple), "Kalu-khandala" (leaf-stalks purple), "Yakutala." "Garendi- 

 kandala," "Gahala." "Ala-kola" or "Gahala-kola," "Thumas-ala." The 

 last named is considered one of the best, producing a crop of tubers 

 in three or four months, as the name indicates. 



Xanthosoma . leaves hastate or sagittate : tubers edible, leaf-stalks occasion- 

 ally eaten. "Rata" or "Daesi-ala," "Habarala" (leaves very large), 

 " Kalu-habarala " (leaf-stalks purple). 



Alocasia cucnllata : " Panu-habarala. "Leaves heart-shaped ; used medi- 

 cinally only. 



Alocasia macrorhiza variegata: "Eli-habarala; large handsome variegated 

 leaves : used only in native medicine. 



Alocasia sp. ' Mavil-habarala," also a medicinal species, distinct by a 

 spotted leaf-stalk, the vernacular name being derived from the supposed 

 resemblance of the latter to the "Mapila" snake. 



