Family: Araceae
Common name: swamp taro
Pohnpeian name: mwang
Kosraean name: pasruk
Chuukese name: puna
Yapese name: ?
Location Collected: Likinkel, Kolonia. On the west side of Dahker's residence.
Vegetative Characteristics:
Habit:
Swamp taro is terrestrial, usually grown in atoll pit gardens and in freshwater swamp or marsh area.
Leaf description:
The swamp taro may reach heights of fifteen (15 ft) to twenty (20 ft). The sweet taro produce huge cordate leaves, with acute tip, entire margin, and cordate base. It is a simple palmate venation, with long and soft petiole growing from the tuber stem.
Stem description: The sweet taro produce tuber stems.
Floral description: A spadix in a spathe.
Micronesian uses:
The swamp taro has traditionally served the Micronesians in many different ways. The leaves are used as food wrapings or plate; whereas, the stem, tuber, is cooked and eaten in many ways. It also serve as a "famine food" in time of food scarcity.
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