Araceae FAMILY

Arisaema costatum

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

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.

Botanical Description

Arisaema costatum is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a tuber that is usually renewed seasonally. A single leaf, 30 - 50cm long is produced and a flowering stem 25 - 45cm tall. The tuber also produces some tubercles around its base - these become separated from the old tuber at the end of the season, growing on in subsequent years to form new plants[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food - mainly when little else is available.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeE. Asia - Himalayas in central and eastern Nepal, southern Tibet.

HabitatWet cool woodlands and cliffs, often forming large colonies. Shrubberies, 2,000 - 2,600 metres[ 51 Title Flowers of the Himalayas. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Publisher Oxford Universtiy Press Year 1984 ISBN - Description A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses. ]. Grasslands in forest areas at elevations of 2,300 - 2,400 metres[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ].