Araceae FAMILY

Arum maculatum

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

1/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant contains calcium oxylate crystals. These cause an extremely unpleasant sensation similar to needles being stuck into the mouth and tongue if they are eaten, but they are easily neutralized by thoroughly drying or cooking the plant or by steeping it in water[ 65 Title A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. Publisher Wolfe Year 1984 ISBN 0723408394 Description Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far. ].

Botanical Description

Arum maculatum is a herbaceous, perennial plant growing from an underground corm around 2cm long. The plant produces a cluster of basal leaves 7 - 20cm long plus one or more flowering spathes 15 - 25cm tall[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant has at times been used for food, medicine and for making starch, though is very little used at present except in times of shortage. It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental, some named forms have been develped.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeMost of Europe, south and east of Sweden, including Britain, east to Turkey and Caucasia

HabitatHedgerows, woodlands, copses etc, especially on base-rich substrata[ 9 Title Edible and Medicinal Plants. Publication Author Launert. E. Publisher Hamlyn Year 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2 Description Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information. , 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. ].