Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Arum colocasia in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 965 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott var. antiquorum
original Latin diagnosis
Arum acaule, foliis peltatis ovatis repandis: basi semibifidis.
English translation
Arum stemless, with leaves peltate, [the blades] ovate [and] repand: [and] at the base somewhat bifid.
| Arum | Arum |
| stemless; | acaule - nominative singular neuter of group B adjective acaulis, -is, -e; modifies Arum |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| peltate, | peltatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective peltatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [the blades] ovate | ovatis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| repand: | repandis - ablative singular neuter of group A adjective repandus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| at the base | basi - ablative singular of third declension feminine noun basis, basis |
| somewhat bifid. | semibifidis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective semibifidus, -a, -um |