(). Fruit maturation takes several months. Fruits start to develop within the shelter of the spathe tube. When the infructescence is mature, in some species, it arches back and downwards. In other species, it stays erect. Then, the tissue of the spathe tube rolls outwards, exhibiting the bright orange fruits and the velvety pink inner spathe surface. Taxonomy Species The following species are accepted: Xanthosoma acutum E.G.Gonç. - French Guiana, Amapá State of Brazil Xanthosoma akkermansii (G.S.Bunting) Croat - Amazonas + Barinas States of Venezuela Xanthosoma aristeguietae (G.S.Bunting) Madison - Venezuela, northwestern Brazil Xanthosoma auriculatum Regel - northwestern Brazil Xanthosoma baguense Croat - northern Peru Xanthosoma bayo G.S.Bunting - Venezuela Xanthosoma belophyllum (Willd.) Kunth - Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas; naturalized in Dominican Republic Xanthosoma bilineatum Rusby - Colombia Xanthosoma bolivaranum G.S.Bunting - Venezuela Xanthosoma brasiliense (Desf.) Engl. – Tahitian spinach - Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Trinidad & Tobago; naturalized in southern Brazil Xanthosoma brevispathaceum Engl. - Peru Xanthosoma caladioides Grayum - Panama Xanthosoma caracu K.Koch & C.D.Bouché – yautia horqueta - Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic Xanthosoma caulotuberculatum G.S.Bunting - Venezuela Xanthosoma conspurcatum Schott - Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana Xanthosoma contractum G.S.Bunting - Bolívar State of Venezuela Xanthosoma cordatum N.E.Br. - Guyana, French Guiana Xanthosoma cordifolium N.E.Br. - Guyana Xanthosoma cubense (Schott) Schott - Cuba Xanthosoma daguense Engl. - Colombia, Ecuador Xanthosoma dealbatum Grayum - Costa Rica Xanthosoma eggersii Engl. - Ecuador Xanthosoma exiguum G.S.Bunting - Amazonas State of Venezuela Xanthosoma flavomaculatum Engl. - Colombia Xanthosoma fractum Madison - Peru Xanthosoma granvillei Croat & Thomps. - French Guiana Xanthosoma guttatum Croat & D.C.Bay - Valle del Cauca in Colombia Xanthosoma hebetatum Croat & D.C.Bay - Valle del Cauca in Colombia Xanthosoma helleborifolium (Jacq.) Schott – belembe silvestre - from Costa Rica south to central Brazil; naturalized in West Indies Xanthosoma herrerae Croat & P.Huang - Colombia Xanthosoma hylaeae Engl. & K.Krause - Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northwestern Brazil Xanthosoma latestigmatum Bogner & E.G.Gonç. - Venezuela Xanthosoma longilobum G.S.Bunting - Venezuela Xanthosoma lucens E.G.Gonç - Rondônia Xanthosoma mafaffoides G.S.Bunting - Amazonas State of Venezuela Xanthosoma mariae Bogner & E.G.Gonç. - Peru Xanthosoma maroae G.S.Bunting - Amazonas State of Venezuela Xanthosoma maximiliani Schott - eastern Brazil Xanthosoma mendozae Matuda - México State in central México Xanthosoma mexicanum Liebm. - Chiapas, Oaxaca, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela Xanthosoma narinoense Bogner & L.P.Hannon - Colombia Xanthosoma nitidum G.S.Bunting - Venezuela †Xanthosoma obtusilobum Engl. - Mexico,