iNaturalist Plant Observations - Costa Rica (iNaturalist:Plants-Costa Rica)
Calathea crotalifera S. Watson
Marantaceae
Rattlesnake Plant
indianplumleaf
2018-06-19
Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Coto Brus, Las Cruces Biological Station, Coto Brus, Puntarenas, CR
8.78447 -82.9614416667 +-10m.
Family: Marantaceae. Uses: In its native range, the large and tough leaves are popular for holding small items. Sometimes, they are used unprocessed, e.g. to wrap fish for transport in parts of Brazil, such as the Benevides region of ParĂ¡. In other places, the leaves are used in handicraft to produce containers, such as the quivers of the Nukak people of Colombia. Most famous, perhaps, are the decorative Calathea-leaf rice containers produced in some villages of Thailand, especially in Ban Huak (Amphoe Si Bun Rueang) where they are an important source of income and sold to locals and tourists alike.