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Arum dioscoridis - Sm.

Common Name

Family

Araceae

Synonyms

A. hygrophyllum. Boiss.

Known 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[65].

Habitats

Hedges and rocky places, often on calcareous soils[90, 200].

Range

S. Europe and N. Africa - E. Mediterranean.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in).
It is hardy to zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf 7-Oct It is in flower in May. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Flies.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires moist soil.


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Habitats
Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade;

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Root. Tuber - cooked and used as a vegetable[2, 61, 105, 177]. It must be thoroughly dried or cooked before being eaten, see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. Abortifacient. The root is abortifacient[61].

Other Uses
None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a humus rich soil and abundant water in the growing season[1]. Grows well in woodland conditions[1]. Succeeds in sun or shade. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[200]. Because it comes into growth in the late autumn it is best grown by a warm wall or in a bulb frame[90] A polymorphic species[200]. The inflorescence is pollinated by flies and it smells of dung and carrion in order to attract the flies[200]. It also has the remarkable ability to heat itself above the ambient air temperature to such a degree that it is quite noticeable to the touch[4]. This probably protects the flowers from damage by frost, or allows it to penetrate frozen ground. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse or cold frame as soon as it is ripe[134]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 6 months at 15°c[134]. Stored seed should be sown in the spring in a greenhouse and can be slow to germinate, sometimes taking a year or more. A period of cold stratification might help to speed up the process. Sow the seed thinly, and allow the seedlings to grow on without disturbance for their first year, giving occasional liquid feeds to ensure that they do not become mineral deficient. When the plants are dormant in the autumn, divide up the small corms, planting 2 - 3 in each pot, and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for a further year, planting out when dormant in the autumn. Division of the corms in summer after flowering[200]. Larger corms can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up the smaller corms and grow them on for a year in a cold frame before planting them out.

Expert comment

Author
Sm.

Botanical References
200

Links / References

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.

Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.

Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[90]Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs

Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.

The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[134]Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2.

Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.

An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[233]Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants

A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

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