Taro (scientific name: Colocasia esculenta), commonly known as "taro root," is a plant in the Araceae family. Its spherical underground stem (tuber) is edible and can also be used for medicinal purposes. In the islands of Oceania, it is a traditional staple food of the Polynesians. Taro is produced year-round, with its flowering period occurring in the autumn. The earliest cultivation of taro was introduced by Indians around 5,000 years ago from wild taro found in the wetlands of Malaysia, and it later spread to Egypt.