Practical
Plants

Amorphophallus rivieri

Devil's Tongue

a perennial member of the Amorphophallus genus in the family Araceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Araceae
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.75 m
Spread
0.6 m
Fertility
Flies
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Flies

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

We have one report that this plant is very toxic raw, though no more details are given[3]. It belongs to a family where most of the members contain calcium oxalate crystals. This substance is toxic fresh and, if eaten, makes the mouth, tongue and throat feel as if hundreds of small needles are digging in to them. However, calcium oxalate is easily broken down either by thoroughly cooking the plant or by fully drying it and, in either of these states, it is safe to eat the plant. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet[7].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Rhizome - cooked[5]. The root must be thoroughly boiled or baked, it is acrid when raw[5]. Very large, it can be up to 30cm in iameter[9]. In Japan the large brown tubers are peeled, cooked and pounded to extract their starch, which is solidified with dissolved limestone into an edible gel called 'Konnyaku'[4]. Konnyaku is a type of flour valued for its use in many dietary products[9]. The flour is valued for its ability to clean the digestive tract without being a laxative[4]. A nutritional analysis is available[6]. This root is very high in water and low in calories, so it is being promoted as a diet food in N. America[6].

Plant part
Root

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The root is oxytoxic and sialagogue[3]. It is used in the treatment of cancer[6]. The flowers are febrifuge[6].

Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Oxytoxic
Product or use
Sialagogue

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant has insecticidal properties[6].

Product or use
Insecticide

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Cochin China, East Indies.
Habitat
Loose leafy detritus in moist shady habitats[5]. Forest margins and thickets at elevations of 830-1200 metres in western Yunnan[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 10+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in a pot in a warm greenhouse as soon as it is ripe and the pot sealed in a plastic bag to retain moisture. It usually germinates in 1 - 8 months at 24°c[2]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least a couple of years. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and give them some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away strongly. Division of offsets[1]. These are rarely produced[1].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires shade and a rich soil in its native habitats, but it probably requires a position with at least moderate sun in Britain. This species is being increasingly cultivated for its edible tubers in Japan and China[4][9] The plants are not winter hardy outdoors in Britain but are sometimes grown outdoors in this country as part of a sub-tropical bedding display[1]. It is also said to make a good house plant[1]. The tuber is harvested in the autumn after top growth has been cut back by frost and it must be kept quite dry and frost-free over winter[1][2]. It is then potted up in a warm greenhouse in spring ready to be planted out after the last expected frosts. The tubers are planted 15cm deep[1]. The plant has one enormous leaf and one spadix annually. It requires hand pollination in Britain[1][2]. When ripe for pollination, the flowers have a foetid smell to attract carrion flies and midges. This smell disappears once the flower has been pollinated[8].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩1↩2

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

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  7. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

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  8. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  9. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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