Araceae FAMILY

Arisaema quinatum

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 quinatum is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a tuber that is usually renewed seasonally. 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.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeSouth-eastern N. America - Tennessee to North Carolina, south to Louisiana and Florida,

HabitatWoods and moist rich soils[ 72 Title Manual of the Southeastern Flora. Publication Author Small J.K. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher University of N. Carolina Press. Year 1933 ISBN Description Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].