Calathea panamensis
Rowlee ex Standl.
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Guillaume Léotard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Guillaume Léotard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Guillaume Léotard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A herb without a stem. It grows 65 cm tall. The roots produce tubers. The leaf stalks have broad wings. The leaves are oblong to oval and end abruptly at the tip. They are 25-38 cm long by 6-15 cm wide. They can be unequal on opposite sides. They are dark green above and more pale underneath. The flowering shoots are at the top coming from among the leaf sheaths. There are bracts 3-7 cm long. They are sword shaped and arranged in spirals. The flowers are yellow. The fruit are capsules 1 cm long. They have 3 brown seeds.
Edible Uses
The tubers and roots are eaten.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in seasonally dry areas of the rain forest
Where It Grows
Central America, Costa Rica, Panama,
Cultivation
It dies back during the dry season and regrows after rain.
References (1)
- Flora of Barro Colorado Island.
