Tacca leontopetaloides
Description
Polynesian arrowroot grows wild in coastal forests throughout much of the tropics from Africa to Australia; its status in Polynesia is uncertain and it might be one of the canoe plants introduced by the first settlers. The tubers would have been easy to transplant by canoe. It is a member of the yam family growing to 1 metre in height, with deeply-lobed leaves. The tubers are rich in starch, but contain poison which was removed by grating the tubers and repeatedly rinsing with water. The starch was also used to glue sheets of barkcloth together, in Tonga, Samoa, the Society Islands and perhaps elsewhere.
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Details
Common Names
Polynesian arrowroot; Niue, Society Islands, Cook Islands, Hawai‘i: pia; Fiji: yabia; Tonga, ‘Uvea: māhoaʽa; Samoa, Tuvalu: māsoā
Usage
adhesive
Part Used
tuber
Colour Notes
white
Version
Entry created on 28 August 2020