Calla palustris : Wild Calla

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Monocoteldonae (one seed-leaf)

Family: Araceae (Arum Family Family)

Genera: Calla (Water-arum) (Gk. kalos= beautiful)

Species: palustris (Lat. marsh loving from palus= marsh)

English Name(s):

Wild Calla, Water-arum

First Nation Names:

Description:

Minute flowers on a fleashy stalk.

In many genera flowers are surrouded by a large coloured leaf called a "spath".

Natural History:

Plants ussually semi-aquatic or found near water.

Some common house plant come fro mthis family such as; Philodendron, dieffenbachia, Alocasia, Anthurium.

Family Size:

World:

Genera: 115

Species: 2000

North America:

Genera: 8

Species: 10-20

Yukon:

Genera: 1

Species: 1

Central Yukon:(CYSIP study area)

Genera: 1

Species: 1

Structure:

• Each leaf and each spadix (flowering spike) on its own stalk arising from rhizome.
• Plant with a fleashy rhizome (horizontal stem) rooting at nodes.

Leaves:

• Leaf viens longitudinal not parallel as are most monocoteldons.
• Leaves Cordate(heart) shaped, on long petiole (stalk) about 10-35cm high.

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers in a spadix (flowering spike) sourounded by a showy pure white spathe (specialized leaf).
• FLowers mostly perfect(bisexual) though upper most ones sometimes unisexual with only male parts.

Seed:

• Berries not edible.
• Spadix (flower spike) swelling, at first green then rippening to a bright red few seeded berry.

Not to Be Confused With:

• This plant is very distinctive. Connot be mistaken for any other.

Physiology:

• Herbaceous
• Plant contains crystals of calcium oxalate especially in the rhizome. This makes it dangerous to ingest.
• Plant fleashy with acrid watery juice.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Deciduous from rhizome.

Animal Uses:

• Berries are eaten by animals.

Habitat:

• Shallow waters of marshes, ponds, fens, streams, and wet boggy areas.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

• Wild Calla should be used with great caution. It will cause burning and irritation when chewed or ingested. The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals which could cause death.

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

• It was said that folk could handle rattlesnakes with impunity after wetting ones hands with the milky juice as it is a poison to snakes.
• The Meskwaki are said to have chopped the root and put it in the food of thier enimies. This would cause great pain and possibly death.
• To know the fate of the sick, the seed with the pulp removed was dropped in a cup of water. If it went around 4 times before dropping the patient would live if not they would die. (Meskwaki)

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• Fresh roots much diluted in milk, molasses or sugar were said to relieve gas, stomach cramps, asthma, and TB.
• Powdered roots were taken to relieve spasm associated with asthma or were applied as a poultice to reduce swellings.
• Roots were also grated into cold water and taken internaly for complaints of the bowels.
• Roots were dried and used to treat coughs, fever, typhoid, rhumatism, pains in the breast and persistently congested nose and sinuses.
• The seeds were said to contain all the properties of the roots but at twice the strength.

Food:

• Scandinavians apparently used the stems, roots and berries for food inspite of acrid taste and calcium oxilate crystals.
• The roots and stems were were roasted, dried, and ground into flour for bread or shredded and boiled with venison.