Typhonodorum lindleyanum (Water Banana)

In the Waterlily House several specimens of the Water Banana (Typhonodorum lindleyanum), also known as Aquatic Giant Arum. This living fossil from Madagascar and the bordering regions of Africa is the last representative of its genus and a giant relative of our Arum with leaves that exceed the size of a human. The flowers are shaped, as typical for Arum, as traps and “scented” like rotten flesh, what is especially attractive for carcasse flies as pollinators. The culinary value of the fleshy rhizomes is moderate, because the plants form sharp oxalate crystals for protection. Therefore, the plant is eaten only in times of starvation. The starch extracted from the rhizomes has the reputation to be an excellent ailment against snake and scorpion bites. The fibres are durable and are used in a way similar to coconut fibres.