Jack-in-the-pulpit, Whipcord cobra lily
Arisaema tortuosum

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A herb which forms tubers. It grows 1.5 m high. The tubers are round and flattened and 2-6 cm across. The leaf stalk is mottled. There are one or two leaves and 11-13 leaflets. These are narrow or sword shaped. The flower spathe is green and the tube is long. The mouth is contracted and has a long pointed tip. The fruit is a berry. The seeds have 4 or 5 angles.

There are about 150-170 Arisaema species.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate plant. It grows in highland high rainfall areas. In China it grows in rocky slopes, path sides, stream sides, especially in disturbed areas between 1300-2900 m. In Nepal it grows at 1500-2200 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 7-10. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, SE Asia, Tibet

How it is used for food

The corms are cooked in water then mixed with salt and chilli. The young leaves are cooked and used as a vegetable. The fruit are roasted. The tuberous roots are buried and fermented. They are then dug up and washed and cooked. The young leaf stalk is soaked overnight in salt water and then pickled or cooked in sour yoghurt.

Edible parts

Root, corms, leaves, vegetable, leaf stalk

How it is grown

It is grown from corms.

Its other names

Local names

Baanko, Baddha, Bako, Banko, Barkaunle, Buru hada, Chamua, Curved-hood cobra lily, Dhudhda, Diva, Galgal, Haavumari gida, Jangli suran, Jhag papri, Kushnopheni, Leetu, Sarpako makai, Shaungal, Vayu

Synonyms

Arisaema commutatum Schott; Arisaema curvatum Hooker; Arisaema curvatum (Roxb.) Kunth; Arisaema helleborifolium Schott; Arisaema steudelii Schott; Arisaema tortuosum var. curvatum (Roxb.) Engl.; Arisaema tortuosum var. helleborifolium (Schott) Engler; Arisaema wightii Hook.f.; Arum curvatum Roxb.; Arum tortuosum Wallich;