Jacquemont's cobra lily
Arisaema jacquemontii

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows to about 70 cm high. It forms tubers. There is usually one leaf divided into 5-9 lobes. These lobes are narrow and long. They have a long point. They are 5-15 cm long. The flower bract is green with white stripes. The tip is like a tail and curved upwards. It is 15 cm long. The fleshy flower stalk is 3.5-9 cm long. It is slightly curved.

There are about 150-170 Arisaema species.

Where it is found

It grows in temperate and subtropical climates. It grows in coniferous forest, open grassy place in forest, rhododendron or junipers thickets, forest margins between 3000-4300 m altitude in China. It grows from 2700-4000 m altitude in Nepal. It is frost hardy.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pakistan, Sikkim, Tasmania, Tibet

How it is used for food

The young corms or rhizomes are cooked and eaten. They are eaten with salt or chilli or made into chutneys. The leaves are fermented and stored then eaten. Caution: The fresh plant is poisonous and needs processing.

Edible parts

Leaves, root, corm, rhizome, caution

How it is grown

Plants are grown from corms.

Its other names

Local names

Aaltano, Dwa ba, Hapatmakei, Hapetcheor, Khan Banjh, Sarpa komaka, Sarpako makai, Tuklom

Synonyms

Arisaema cornutum Schott.; Arisaema exile Schott.;