Symplocarpus foetidus
Symplocarpus foetidus
Safety & Hazards
The plant is poisonous[ 19 Title Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Stary. F. Publisher Hamlyn Year 1983 ISBN 0-600-35666-3 Description Not very comprehensive, but easy reading. ]. This report probably refers to the presence of calcium oxylate in all parts of the plant. This substance is toxic and if consumed makes the mouth and digestive tract feel as though hundreds of needles are being stuck into it. However, calcium oxylate is easily destroyed by thoroughly cooking or drying the plant[ 172 Title Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. Publication Author Schofield. J. J. Publisher Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska Year 2003 ISBN 0882403699 Description A nice guide to some useful plants in that area. ].
Botanical Description
Symplocarpus foetidus is a herbaceous perennial plant that can grow up to 50cm tall. The plant has fleshy, contractile roots and thick rhizomes to 30cm or more[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental. Symplocarpus foetidus has a relatively restricted range, but much larger than the thresholds for a threatened category and while it is possibly declining in parts of its range, it is not thought that any global population decline is likely to meet (or be close to meeting) the threshold for Vulnerable. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2016)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].