The Arum family, Aroidae, which numbers nearly 1,000 members, mostly
tropical, and many of them marsh or water plants, is represented in this
country by a sole species, Arum maculatum (Linn.), familiarly known as Lords
and Ladies, or Cuckoo-pint.
The flowering organs are contained in a sheath-like leaf called a spathe,
within which rises a long, fleshy stem, or column called the spadix, bearing
closely arranged groups of stalkless, primitive flowers. At the base are a
number of flowers each consisting of a pistil only. Above these is a belt of
sterile flowers, each consisting of only a purplish anther. Above the anther
is a ring of glands, terminating in short threads The spadix is then
prolonged into a purple; club-like extremity.
The bright leaves, conspicuous by their glossiness and purple blotches, and
their halberd-like shape, are some of the first to emerge from the ground on
the approach of spring, and may then be noticed under almost every hedge in
shady situations; the pale green spathe is a still more striking object when
it appears in April and May.

In autumn, the lowest ring of flowers form a cluster of bright scarlet,
attractive berries, which remain long after the leaves have withered away,
and on their short, thick stem alone mark the situation of the plant. In
pite of their very acrid taste, they have sometimes been eaten by children,
with most injurious results, being extremely poisonous. One drop of their
juice will cause a burning sensation in the mouth and throat for hours. In
the case of little children who have died from eating the berries, cramp and
convulsions preceded death if no medical aid had been obtained.

The Arum has large tuberous roots, somewhat resembling those of the Potato,
oblong in shape, about the size of a pigeon's egg, brownish externally,
white within and when fresh, fleshy yielding a milky juice, almost insipid
to the taste at first, but soon producing a burning and pricking
sensation.The acridity is lost during the process of drying and by
application of heat, when the substance of the tuber is left as starch. When
baked, the tubers are edible, and from the amount of starch, nutritious.
This starch of the root, after repeated washing, makes a kind of arrowroot,
formerly much prepared in the Isle of Portland, and sold as an article of
food under the name of Portland Sago, or Portland Arrowroot, but now
obsolete. For this purpose, it was either roasted or boiled, and then dried
and pounded in a mortar, the skin being previously peeled.

Arum starch was used for stiffening ruffs in Elizabethan times, when we find
the name Starchwort among the many names given to the plant. Gerard says:
'The most pure and white starch is made of the rootes of the Cuckoo-pint,
but most hurtful for the hands of the laundresse that have the handling of
it, for it chappeth, blistereth, and maketh the hands rough and rugged and
withall smarting.'
This starch, however, in spite of Gerard's remarks, forms the Cyprus Powder
of the Parisians, who used it as a cosmetic for the skin, and Dr. Withering
says of this cosmetic formed from the tuber starch, that 'it is undoubtedly
a good and innocent cosmetic'; and Hogg (Vegetable Kingdom, 1858) reported
its use in Italy to remove freckles from the face and hands.
In parts of France, a custom existed of turning to account the mucilaginous
juice of the plant as a substitute for soap, the stalks of the plant when in
flower being cut and soaked for three weeks in water, which was daily poured
off carefully and the residue collected at the bottom of the pan, then dried
and used for laundry work.

Withering quotes Wedelius for the supposition that it was this plant, under
the name of Chara, on which the soldiers of Caesar's army subsisted when
encamped at Dyrrhachium.

A curious belief is recorded by Gerard as coming from Aristotle, that when
bears were half-starved with hibernating and had lain in their dens forty
days without any nourishment, but such as they get by 'sucking their paws,'
they were completely restored by eating this plant.

The roots, according to Gilbert White, are scratched up and eaten by
thrushes in severe snowy seasons, and the berries are devoured by several
kinds of birds, particularly by pheasants. Pigs which have eaten the fresh
tubers suffered, but none died, though it acts as an irritant and purgative.
As the leaves when bruised give out a disagreeable odour, they are not
spontaneously eaten by animals, who quickly refuse them.

Arum leaves give off prussic acid when injured, being a product of certain
glucosides contained, called cyanophoric glucosides.

jack-in-the-pulpit and skunk cabbage are non tropical arums



Peg

"A Macabre Garden" http://www.dreamwater.com/sancho/macabregarden.html



"Avril" wrote in message
...

"Avril" wrote in message
...
Seen this on eBay
ZANTEDESCHIA 'BLACK PEARL'...and started checking out the nursery web
sites
but no joy. Can any one offer any information where this can be
found...apart from eBay.
Many thanks
Avril


hello...I thought I might find some information on this unusual
plant...has
anyone any knowledge of it?
Avril