| Cyrtosperma merkusii | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Babai cultivation in Butaritari, Kiribati | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Araceae |
| Genus: | Cyrtosperma |
| Species: | C. merkusii |
| Binomial name | |
| Cyrtosperma merkusii (Hassk.) Schott | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Cyrtosperma merkusii orgiant swamp taro, is acrop grown throughoutOceania and into South and Southeast Asia. It is a riverine and "swamp crop" similar totaro,[1] but "with bigger leaves and larger, coarser roots."[2] There are no demonstrably wild populations today,[citation needed] but it is believed to be native toIndonesia. It is known aspuraka inCook Islands,lak inYap (Federated States of Micronesia),babai inKiribati,iaraj in theMarshall Islands,brak inPalau,babaʻ in theMarianas Islands,pula’a inSamoa,via kana,Pulaka inLau,Lovo inFiji,pulaka inTokelau andTuvalu,mwahng inPohnpei,pasruk inKosrae,simiden inChuuk,swam taro inPapua New Guinea,navia inVanuatu[3] andpalawan in thePhilippines.
The same species is also known by the namesCyrtosperma lasioides,Cyrtosperma chamissonis andCyrtosperma edule.[4]
In the harshatoll environments of the Central Pacific, especiallyTuvalu andKiribati, swamp taro is an important source ofcarbohydrates in a diet dominated by fish and coconut. Its cultivation is difficult and time-consuming, and the plant has deep cultural as well as practical significance.[5][6] The roots need to be cooked for hours to reduce toxicity in thecorms, but are rich in nutrients, especiallycalcium.[7] The cultivation ofPulaka in Tuvalu, andbabai in Kiribati, is an important cultural and culinary tradition, now under threat from risingsea level and displacement from the growing use of imported food products.
InNepal, Giant Swamp Taro is calledmane and grows in the tropical and sub tropical forests along stream banks. It is gathered in January–February and all plant parts (leaf, stem, rhizomes) are savored after being boiled and roasted. The stem requires prolonged boiling and the water is replaced once to remove irritating chemicals. If cooked carefully, the rhizomes taste like taro and the leaves like spinach. But without careful washing, the food causes an unpleasant tingling or scratchy sensation.[8]
Giant swamp taro is the largest of the root crop plants known collectively asTaro, which are cultivated throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Although outwardly similar toColocasia esculenta, the most widely cultivated taro, it belongs to a different genus. The plant may reach heights of 4–6 metres, with leaves and roots much larger than Colocasia esculenta. The sagittate leaves are up to 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) long by up to four feet (120 cm) in width, borne atoppetioles or stalks up to 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m) in length and four inches (10 cm) wide.[9][10][11] It is relatively resistant to disease and pests but is susceptible totaro beetle (Papuana). Thecorm, which can reach weights of 80 kg or even 220 pounds (100 kg) with a diameter of up to 39 inches (0.99 meters) and equally long.[12] is starchy and cream or pink in colour, with a taste similar tosweet potato, though it is drier in texture.
Giant swamp taro is not suitable for growing in upland or rainfed conditions; it has adapted to growth within fresh water and coastal swamps. It exhibits some shade tolerance and is considered mildly tolerant of saline growing conditions compared to other taro species; that is, it can be grown in mildly brackish water. It is a slow growing crop which can take up to 15 years to mature.
Giant swamp taro is nearly the onlycarbohydrate crop that can be cultivated on low-lying coral atolls, where it is grown in purpose-built swamp pits dug to below the level of thefreshwater lens. The cultivation ofPulaka inTuvalu, and ofbabai inKiribati, has deep cultural significance. In these harsh environments, its cultivation is increasingly threatened byrising sea levels caused byglobal warming: the plant does not thrive in brackish water,[13] which rots the roots, turns the leaves yellow, and stunts the plant's growth.[7]Climate change is affecting its cultivation in two ways; more frequent droughts increase the salinity of thefreshwater lens, and more extreme high tides and coastal erosion lead to saltwater intrusions where seawater enters the cultivation pits.[14]
In thePhilippines, giant swamp taro is known aspalawan (orpalauan),palaw (orpalau), orpayaw (also applied toHomalomena philippinensis). It is commonly cultivated and harvested for their corms in theVisayas Islands andMindanao (especially inSiargao and northeastern Mindanao). They are usually prepared in the same way as othertaro dishes in the Philippines. They are also used as sweet fillings for pastries likehopia.[15][16]
Giant swamp taro containstoxins which must be removed by long cooking. It may be field stored in the ground for very long periods – up to 30 years or more – and accordingly has traditionally been an important emergency crop in times of natural disaster and food scarcity.[3] The cooked corms can be dried in the sun and stored for later use.[6] Different methods of preparation are used forpulaka in Tuvalu, andbabai in Kiribati.
In thePhilippines where this grows in swamps or marshes, the corms are harvested for food. It is left to grow for years and signs that it has enough corms when the mother stems have fewer leaves and it has reached a sizable size with tubers. The harvested corms are cooked for food which is starchy. Unlike taro and eddo, it is not purposely cultivated for its starchy corm for food. It usually grows in the wild in swampy areas and marshes. It is called Palawan byWaray people where it is most popular as an edible food.
