Amorphophallus bulbifer is ripening a lot of fruit these
years, at the UConn EEB greenhouses. Despite of appearances, and the fact that
birds or some other animal disperser perhaps eats them, it’d probably be a bad
idea for a person to sample these berries. Amorphophallus is an aroid
(family Araceae), a group famous for being toxic to humans. In several aroids,
all parts of the plant comprises microscopic calcium oxalate crystals, which annoy
the lining of the mouth and throat, causing penetrating pain and swelling that
can be life-threatening if the airway becomes constricted. In certain aroids
and for few people, the crystals can even root pain and rashes on the skin of
hands exposed to sap from cut plant parts.
