Arum is a tuberous herbaceous perennial. Leaves and flowers emerge from tubers and each flower consists of an erect, finger-like spadix covered with minute, creamy white flowers and a large light green bract which partially envelops the spadix. After bloom, leaves and bract die leaving only the spadix which develops attractive, bright orange-red berries [1].

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All plant parts are toxic: tubers, leaves, bracts, flowers, berries.

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All parts are abundant in saponins (arin), alkaloids (n-methyl-coiine), calcium oxalates which have needle-shaped crystals which irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, throat and result in swelling of throat, difficulty breathing, burning pain and upset stomach [2].

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Arum italicum, A. maculatum, poisonous plant

Giovanna Masini

Bibliografia

[1] D. Atha, B. Boom, A. Thornbrough, J. Kurtz, L. McIntyre, M. Hagen, J. A. Schuler, Arum italicum (Araceae) is invasive in New York, “Phytoneuron”, 2017;31:1-18

[2] N. Tamilselvan, T. Thirumalai, P. Shyamala, E. David, A review on some poisonous plants and their medicinal values, “Journal of acute disease”, 2014:85-89