''Lasia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of flowering plants in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Araceae The Araceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe (or leaf-like bract). Also ...

, native to

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

and

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

. The

contains only two known species, ''

Lasia spinosa ''Lasia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to Asia and New Guinea. The genus contains only two known species, ''Lasia spinosa'' and ''Lasia concinna''. ''Lasia'' was believed to be a monotypic genus until 1997 when a ...

'' and ''

Lasia concinna ''Lasia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to Asia and New Guinea. The genus contains only two known species, ''Lasia spinosa'' and ''Lasia concinna''. ''Lasia'' was believed to be a monotypic genus until 1997 when a ...

''.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> ''Lasia'' was believed to be a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

until 1997 when a wild population of ''Lasia concinna'' was discovered in a farmer's

paddy field A paddy field is a flooded field (agriculture), field of arable land used for growing Aquatic plant, semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in sout ...

West Kalimantan West Kalimantan ( id, Kalimantan Barat) is a province of Indonesia. It is one of five Indonesian provinces comprising Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital city is Pontianak, Indonesia, Pontianak. The province has ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

. The farmer had been growing them for their edible young leaves. This species of ''Lasia'' had been known of previously only from a single specimen at the Bogor Botanic Gardens, formally described in 1920. Prior to 1997, the specimen was believed to have been a

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

between ''

'' and ''

Cyrtosperma merkusii ''Cyrtosperma merkusii'' or giant swamp taro, is a crop grown throughout Oceania and into South and Southeast Asia. It is a riverine and "swamp crop" similar to taro, but "with bigger leaves and larger, coarser roots." There are no demonstrably ...

''. The subsequent discovery by Hambali and Sizemore led to the realization that it was in fact a distinct species.

Species

#''

'' Alderw. – West Kalimantan (Borneo) #''

'' (L.) Thwaites – China (including Tibet), Taiwan, Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea

Uses

In Sri Lanka, ''Lasia spinosa'' is known as ''kohila'' (කොහිල) and the leaves and rhizomes of the plant are used in Sri Lankan cuisine.

References

Lasioideae Araceae genera Taxa named by João de Loureiro {{Araceae-stub