''Cyrtosperma'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of flowering plants 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 ...

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 ...

. The genus went through considerable

taxonomic 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme of classes (a taxonomy) and the allocation ...

changes in the 1980s, and as a result is now considered to be native only to

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

and some

Pacific islands The Pacific islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of several ...

.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> Previously, the genus was believed to be widespread from

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

, but the African and South American species were subsequently moved into separate genera. ''Cyrtosperma'' is now known to be most prominent in

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...

. The genus ''Cyrtosperma'' is unique in this regard because it is the only known big genus in

that is known to be found east of Wallace's line.Hay, A. (1988). ''Cyrtosperma'' (Araceae) and its Old World allies. Blumea 33: 427-469. ''

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 ...

'', or

pulaka Pulaka, '' Cyrtosperma merkusii'', or swamp taro, is a crop grown mainly in Tuvalu and an important source of carbohydrates for the area's inhabitants. It is a "swamp crop" similar to taro, but "with bigger leaves and larger, coarser roots." The ...

, is grown as a root crop in

Oceania Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...

. ;Species #'' Cyrtosperma beccarianum'' A.Hay - New Guinea #'' Cyrtosperma bougainvillense'' A.Hay - Solomon Islands #'' Cyrtosperma brassii'' A.Hay - Louisiade Archipelago #'' Cyrtosperma carrii'' A.Hay - Papua New Guinea #'' Cyrtosperma cuspidispathum'' Alderw. - New Guinea #'' Cyrtosperma giganteum'' Engl. - New Guinea #'' Cyrtosperma gressittiorum'' A.Hay - Louisiade Archipelago #'' Cyrtosperma hambalii'' A.Dearden & A.Hay - Western New Guinea #'' Cyrtosperma johnstonii'' (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br. - Solomon Islands #'' Cyrtosperma kokodense'' A.Hay - Papua New Guinea #'' Cyrtosperma macrotum'' Becc. ex Engl. - New Guinea #''

'' (Hassk.) Schott - New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Philippines, Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati, Santa Cruz Islands, Cook Islands, Marquesas, Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands; naturalized on various other islands

References

{{Authority control Lasioideae Araceae genera Taxa named by William Griffith (botanist)