Arisaema heterophyllum

Botanical Description

Arisaema heterophyllum is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a tuber that is usually renewed seasonally. The plant produces a usually solitary leaf 30 - 60cm tall and a flowering stem 50 - 80cm 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 harvested from the wildf for local use as a medicine. It is the potential source of a pesticide and is also an important ornamental, being much esteemed in Japan for its appearance as well as its ease of culture[ 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. ]. Due to forest clearing, the wet conditions required by this species are becoming rare, and in Japan it is considered a threatened species, where it has been listed in the national plant Red-Data Book. It is found over a wide area in China, however. Overall, the plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 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. ].