Wōt (Alocasia macrorrhiza - Araceae)

Description: Wōt is a large, spreading aroid (root crop) plant related to kōtak and iaraj. It has a thick, ringed trunk and heart-shaped, shiny green leaves that point upward.

Distribution: Wōt is from Southern Asia and has been brought to and cultivated in many tropical Pacific islands. In some areas it has naturalized, or started to grow wild.

Uses: Wōt is a less important taro crop plant in the Marshall Islands than iaraj. It is grown around some houses and can serve as a source of famine food. Leaves of wōt are used to cover the stone oven (um) and sometimes as umbrellas. Wōtaan and wōtaad are two edible varieties.

Main Plants

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