Arisaema costatum

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A tuber plant which keeps growing from year to year. It is 35-50 cm high. The tuber is round and falettened and 3-5 cm across. There is one leaf which is divided into 3 leaflets. The leaflets are oval and 40 cm long. They have a red edge. The bract around the flower is deeply hooded. It is dark red with white stripes. It is 10-15 cm long with a long pointed tip. The flower stalk is narrow and light red. It trails to 45 cm long.

There are about 150-170 Arisaema species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in grasslands in forest area between 2300-2400 m in China. It is frost hardy.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Myanmar, Nepal, SE Asia, Tibet

How it is used for food

The dried leaves are boiled and cooked as a vegetable. The young shoots are used to make curries. The corm is eaten after repeated boiling. Caution: It is toxic unless it is properly processed.

Edible parts

Root, corm, leaves, caution

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Asek kaki, Dhakayo, Glatli, Jangali makai, Sarpa makai, Thwa, Tobyo

Synonyms

Arum costatum Wallich;