Whats a Taro?

On my 15th or 16th New year, my Maths teacher asked me to stand up and tell her what my new year resolutions were? I had a face. I have no name for that, partly because I could not see my face and mostly because I neither had an answer nor was my head working at looking for one. She had a name for it. She thought it was a Colacasia face. Thats my first introduction to the C word. Might sound weird, I have noted a pattern in all my Maths teachers- they have a good vocabulary. There's another pattern in my teachers that I have seen - My English teachers all love me just till a little before the end.
So word 'Dasheen' comes up in 'Smile Please' by Jean Rhys. Dictionary says its the 'taro' plant. Whats a Taro? I dont know what a taro plant is. The words were not enough. I thought a picture will help. What they say about picture being more than 1000 words. Bingo! Looked familiar. Turns out that stranger Taro is familiar colacasia. Now Indians are supposed to know it as href="http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/vegetables/root/taro.htm">katchu but I have my doubts.. if we know it as anything other than 'arbi'..
I should try asking someone.. its too late to ask anyone .. and the post cant wait any longer to see the day light..