Herb latin name: Arisaema jacquemontii


Synonyms: Arisaema cornutum, Arisaema exile


Family: Araceae (Arum Family)



Edible parts of Arisaema jacquemontii:

Root - cooked. Used in the same ways as potatoes. The tubers are 12 - 30mm in diameter. The root must be thoroughly cooked or dried before use, see the notes above on toxicity. Leaves - dried. The leaves are fermented before being eaten in Nepal. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
60 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
June
to July

Habitat of the herb:

Shrubberies and rocky slopes in upper forest and lower alpine zones in the drier areas of the Himalayas, 2400 - 4000 metres.

Propagation of Arisaema jacquemontii:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a shady position in a cold frame. Stored seed remains viable for at least a year and can be sown in spring in the greenhouse but it will probably require a period of cold stratification. Germination usually takes place in 1 - 6 months at 15°C. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least a coupe of years until the corms are more than 20mm in diameter. Plant out into their permanent positions whilst they are dormant. Division of tubers when the plant dies down in late summer.

Cultivation of the herb:

Shrubberies and rocky slopes in upper forest and lower alpine zones in the drier areas of the Himalayas, 2400 - 4000 metres.

Medicinal use of Arisaema jacquemontii:

None known

Known hazards of Arisaema jacquemontii:

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.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.