Colocasia

He says: "The manner of operating is to plant a colocasia root in a place constantly exposed to the sun, where one can water it abundantly and continuously and protect it from wind."

Dioscorides (2.128) gives a good description of the sacred lotus, which he calls the Egyptian bean (Αἰγύπτιος κύαμος). He calls its root colocasia (κολοκασἰα). Columella (RR 8.15.4), speaking of the colocasia, which he, too, calls the Egyptian bean, says that "the middle part of the pond should be made of earth, so that it may be sown with the colocasia and other green stuff which lives in or near water and provides shade for the haunts of the waterfowl.

AFM surface height map and 2D profile showing the dynamic shrinking of a colocasia leaf.