Gloriosa superba
Gloriosa superba
Safety & Hazards
The whole plant is highly toxic due to the presence of the alkaloid colchicine[ 293 Title Poisonous Plants of North Carolina Publication Author Website http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes. , 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. Diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pains are often the first signs of poisoning. The diarrhoea may become severe and haemorrhagic, and can thus lead to metabolic acidosis, dehydration, hypotension and shock. A burning sensation in the throat, stomach and skin may also be an early sign of intoxication. Severe reactions include extensive vascular damage and acute renal toxicity with oliguria and haematuria. The patients may develop convulsions, delirium, muscle weakness, neuropathy and ascending paralysis of the central nervous system. In patients who have taken an overdose of Gloriosa superba bulbs, death occurs as a result of respiratory depression and cardiovascular collapse[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].
Botanical Description
Gloriosa superba is a perennial, usually climbing, plant producing sparsely-branched, annual stems from an underground tuber. The stems are usually up to 3 metres long, though occasionally to 6 metres; they can be erect, or they can climb into surrounding vegetation where they attach themselves by means of tendrils at the ends of the leaves[ 701 Title Asean Tropical Plant Database Publication Author Website http://211.114.21.20/tropicalplant/index.jsp Publisher Year ISBN Description Terse details, with photos, of many of the plants growing in the tropical forests of southeast Asia. Gives some details of plant uses along with a description of the plant and its range. ]. Although very toxic, the plant is often used in traditional medicine in both Africa and Asia. It is grown commercially as a source of colchicine, which has various medicinal and other uses. A very attractive plant, valued especially for its flowers, it is often grown as an ornamental in the garden, as a pot plant, and is cultivated for the cut flower market[ 701 Title Asean Tropical Plant Database Publication Author Website http://211.114.21.20/tropicalplant/index.jsp Publisher Year ISBN Description Terse details, with photos, of many of the plants growing in the tropical forests of southeast Asia. Gives some details of plant uses along with a description of the plant and its range. ].