Peltandra sagittifolia
(Michx.)Morong.
Araceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: White Arrow Arum
General Information
Peltandra sagittifolia is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.15 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Known Hazards
The plant is rich in calcium oxylate, this is toxic and if consumed makes the mouth and digestive tract feel as though hundreds of tiny needles are being stuck into it. However, calcium oxylate is easily destroyed by thoroughly cooking or drying the plant[
95- Title
- Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Saunders. C. F.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-486-23310-3
- Description
- Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
].
Botanical References
72- Title
- Manual of the Southeastern Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Small J.K.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of N. Carolina Press.
- Year
- 1933
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
South-eastern N. America - North Carolina to Florida.
Habitat
Non-alluvial swamps, especially on acid soils[
72- Title
- Manual of the Southeastern Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Small J.K.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of N. Carolina Press.
- Year
- 1933
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
], and in shallow water at the edges of ponds[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.15 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Requires a wet lime-free humus-rich soil by the side of water or in shallow still or slowly flowing water in a sunny position[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Plants are best grown in clumps[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
Edible Uses
Root - must be well cooked in order to destroy an acrimonious principle, see the notes above on toxicity[
95- Title
- Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Saunders. C. F.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-486-23310-3
- Description
- Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
]. The root contains much farinaceous material[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
161- Title
- Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Yanovsky. E.
- Publisher
- U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
- Year
-
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
] and can weigh up to 2.7 kilos each[
95- Title
- Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Saunders. C. F.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-486-23310-3
- Description
- Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
].
Fruit[
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
]. No more details but caution is advised - see the notes above on toxicity.
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in late summer in pots of soil that are submerged to their rims in water[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in trays of water in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Stem cuttings rooted in wet mud in the summer[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
