''Goeppertia macrosepala'', known as chufle or macús, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of plant in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Marantaceae The Marantaceae are a family, the arrowroot family, or the prayer plant family, of flowering plants consisting of 31 genera and around 530 species, defining it as one of the most species-rich families in its order. Kennedy, H. (2000). “Diversif ...

. Other local names include ''k'uut'' and ''xucu''. The

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

range of ''Goeppertia macrosepala'' is southern Mexico to western Colombia and Trinidad. ''Goeppertia macrosepala'' is used as food. The immature (closed) inflorescences are eaten in El Salvador and have been approved for importation to the United States. In El Salvador the root of ''Goeppertia macrosepala'' is used for treating diabetes. ''Goeppertia macrosepala'' has sometimes been confused with ''

Goeppertia allouia ''Goeppertia allouia'' (syn. ''Calathea allouia''), known as lerén or lairén in Spanish, and also known in English as Guinea arrowroot, and sweet corn root, is a plant in the arrowroot family, native to northern South America and the Caribbea ...

'', but the native ranges of these two plants do not overlap.

External links

Video of ''Goeppertia macrosepala'' or Chufles

References

Flora of Central America Flora of Colombia Flora of Trinidad macrosepala Edible plants Tropical agriculture {{Zingiberales-stub