Stylochaeton lancifolium
Kotschy & Peyr
Warnecke's ground arum
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) KOUAGOU Damien, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) KOUAGOU Damien, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) ONG OeBenin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A small perennial herb with a short rootstock found in tropical savannah woodlands of West Africa, particularly in Kano state northern Nigeria. It is related to the round arum but distinguished by its lanceolate leaves and corm-bearing rhizome.
Edible Uses
The root or corm is eaten after being repeatedly washed in ash lye to remove toxins, then cooked. The leaves are boiled to remove toxins before cooking and eating. The rhizome is eaten as a famine food, requiring regular cooking and washing with lye of ashes.
Traditional Uses
The root or corm is repeatedly washed in ashes to leach out toxic components, then cooked and eaten. The leaves are boiled to remove toxins, then cooked and eaten. The rhizome is eaten as a famine food. It requires regular cooking and washing with lye of ashes. CAUTION: It is poisonous unless properly prepared and cooked.
Known Hazards
The plant is poisonous unless properly prepared and cooked. It requires repeated boiling and washing with lye of ashes to be safe for consumption.
Distribution
A tropical plant. Kano state northern Nigeria. It grows in savannah woodland in West Africa.
Where It Grows
Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, West Africa,
Cultivation
Plants are grown from the corm.
Other Information
It is a famine food. The leaves are only occasionally eaten.
Notes
The plant is poisonous and needs repeated boiling. There are 17 Stylochaeton species.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Akwari, Banana-di-mato, E mocoray, Foro, Guadaba, Guraare, Gwandai, M'ba, Matinga, Ngurra
References (22)
- Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 31
- Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 1. Kew.
- Dalziel, J. M., 1937, The Useful plants of west tropical Africa. Crown Agents for the Colonies London.
- Dansi, A., et al, 2008, Traditional leafy vegetables and their use in the Benin Republic. Genet Resour Crop Evol (2008) 55:1239–1256
- Diouf, M., et al, Leafy Vegetables in Senegal. Bioversity webite (As Stylochiton warneckii)
Show all 22 references Hide references
- Gallagher, D. E., 2010, Farming beyond the escarpment: Society, Environment, and Mobility in Precolonial Southeastern Burkina Faso. PhD University of Michigan.
- Grivetti, L. E., 1980, Agricultural development: present and potential role of edible wild plants. Part 2: Sub-Saharan Africa, Report to the Department of State Agency for International Development. p 24 (As Stylochiton warneckii)
- Grubben, G. J. H. and Denton, O. A. (eds), 2004, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. p 565
- Gueye, M. & Meissa, D., 2007, Traditional Leafy Vegetables in Senegal: Diversity and medicinal Uses. Afr. J. Trad. CAM (2007) 4 (4): 469 – 475 (As Stylochiton warneckii)
- Harris, F. M. A. and Salisu Mohammed, 2003, Relying on nature: Wild Foods in Northern Nigeria. AMBIO Vol. 32 No. 1, p 27
- IRVINE (As Stylochaeton warnekii)
- Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 20, 105
- Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 80 (As Stylochiton and also as warneckii)
- Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 176 (As Stylochaeton warnekii)
- MORTIMORE
- Morton, J.K., 1961, West African Lilies and Orchids. Longmans. p 48 (As Stylochaeton warnekii)
- Muller, J. & Almedon, A. M., 2008, What is "Famine Food"? Distinguishing between Traditional Vegetables and Special Foods for Times of Hunger/Scarcity (Boumba, Niger). Human Ecology 36:599-607
- Okigbo, B.N., Vegetables in Tropical Africa, in Opena, R.T. & Kyomo, M.L., 1990, Vegetable Research and development in SADCC countries. Asian Vegetable Research and development Centre. Taiwan. p 38 (As Stylochaeton warnekii)
- Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 12
- Roger, D. D., et al, 2012, Nutritional properties of “Bush Meals” from North Cameroon’s Biodiversity. Advances in Applied Science Research, 2012, 3 (3):1482-1493 (As Stylochaeton warnekii)
- UPHOF (As Stylochaeton warnekii)
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
