Canna indica L.
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Authority
Mori, S. A., et al. 1997. Guide to the vascular plants of central French Guiana: Part 1. Pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and monocotyledons. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 76: 1-422.
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Family
Cannaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Herbs, 1-3 m tall. Leaves elliptic, to 50 X 25 cm, the base gradually merging into sheath, the apex acuminate; sheath and leaf-base often covered with waxy, wool-like threads. Inflorescences simple or branched, 20-40 cm long, with 1 or 2 flowers arising from axil of each broadly ovate bract, the pedicels to ca. 5 mm long in fruit. Flowers: sepals purplish with glaucous covering, 10-12 mm long; petals red to orange, linear, ca. 50 mm long; stamen petaloid, orange-red tinged with yellow; staminodes 3, petaloid, narrowly oblong-obovate, 30-45 mm long, the two outer ones erect, red, the inner one recurved, yellow with red spots; style petaloid, orangered. Fruits ellipsoid to globose, with green or purple warts, 3-4 X 2.5-3.5 cm, crowned by persistent sepals.
Distribution and Ecology - Fl (Feb, Jun, Aug), fr (Feb, Jun, Aug); cultivated for the starchy rhizomes, the flour of which is mixed with milk and sugar and cooked to make a pudding; also found in secondary vegetation as an escape from cultivation. Toloman, toloman-moussache.