Anthurium proven facts

anthurium

The scientific name of the anthurium is Anthurium andraeanum Linden ex Andre.

Scientific names Common names
Anthurium andraeanum Linden ex Andre Anturium (Tag.)
Anthurium venustum Sodiro Anturio (Engl.)
  Anthurium ( Engl.)
Flamingo flower (Engl.)
Flamingo lily (Engl.)
Laquer anthurium (Engl.)
Oilcloth flower (Engl.)
Painter’s palette (Engl.)
Tall flower (Engl.)

 

Other vernacular names
DUTCH: Lakanthurium.
GERMAN: Grosse flamingblume.
JAPANESE: O-beni-uchiwa.
MALAY: Bunga hati.
VIETNAMESE: Hong mon.

General information

– Anthurium is the national flower of Mauritius. It ranks ninth in the global flower trade.

– Anthurium is second, only to orchid, among tropical cut flowers. It is a member of the family Araceae which consists of 108 genera and approximately 3750 monocotyledonous species. (6)

Botany

Anthurium is an evergreen perennial plant that can grown to a meter in height. Leaves are large, dark, glossy, oblong or heart-shaped, up to 30 centimeters in length. Each leaf is held on a 30 to 60 centimeter petiole. Flowers are slender, finger-like or tail like spadix above a shiny, waxy, crinkled, heart-shaped spathe, red to bright orange.

Distribution

– Introduced.

– Ornamental cultivation.

– Grows well in the many area.

– Popular pot or cut flower because of its longevity.

Constituents and Toxicity

– Whole plant, especially the sap, yields calcium oxalate crystals. Also contains proteolytic enzymes that can induce histamine release and cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

– Leaves and stems contain minute, sharp crystals, or raphides of calcium oxalate that can cause swelling and burning of the lips, mouth, and throat, and sometimes, difficulty swallowing and breathing. The calcium oxalate crystals can also cause irritation of the skin and eyes.

– Occasional reports of intense eye and skin itching when in close proximity, without actual contact, raising the possibility of airborne allergens.

Properties

– Plant components known to cause allergic reactions.

– Considered antimicrobial, air-filtering.

Parts used

Flowers, leaves.

Uses
Folkloric traditional medicine benefits and uses of anthurium

– Flower ash reportedly used to treat boils.
– Crushed leaves rubbed on caterpillar sores.
– In China, reportedly used for rheumatic pains.

Scientific studies based on anthurium 

Air-Filtering:

In the NASA Clean Air Study, Anthurium adraeanum is in the list of indoor plants that may remove toxic agents from the air, helping neutralize the effects of sick building syndrome. As an air-filtering plant, anthurium removes formaldehyde, ammonia, xylene and toluene.

Formaldehyde Removal:

Anthurium andraeanum was in the top 15% of 40 woody and herbaceous foliage plants tested for formaldehyde removal.

Management of Oxalate Poisoning

Symptoms:

Ingestion can cause painful irritation and blistering of the mouth and throat, hoarseness and dysphagia.

Prehospital Care:

Decontaminate mouth, eye, and skin by physically removing all plant material. Treat eye and skin exposure with copious water irrigation.

Emergency Department Care:

Remove any plant material from the oral cavity. If airway compromise is ruled out, patient may be allowed to drink cold liquids, eat crushed ice, or frozen desserts for relief. Oral swishing of diphenhydramine elixir may provide anesthetic and antihistamine effects. Laryngeal edema should be treated with antihistamines. No data supports the use of steroids for laryngeal edema caused by oxalate-containing plants.

Note: Anthurium andraeanum’s air-filtering property seems to be negated by the risk of calcium oxalate exposure.

Availability

– Cultivated.

– Seeds in the cybermarket.

Read about other interesting fruits

Acai berry        Ambarella         Avocado           Bael       Banana      Bilberry      Cocunut   

 Cantaloupe        Cashew apple      Dragon Fruit    Durian      Fig      Jack fruit   Jamun      

 Kiwi        Lychee      Malay apple     Mango        Mangosteen       Miracle fruit         Pomelo  

 Papaya     Passion fruit     Phalsa      Pineapple           Plum       Pomegranate       

Prickly pear      Quince       Rambutan           Roselle          Santol          Sapota       

Sea buckthorn       Sour Orange     Soursop           Sweet Lime         Star gooseberry 

Star Apple        Strawberry     Surinam Cherry          Sweet lime        Tamarind       Tomato 

Tree tomato      Wampi       Watermelon         Wood apple

Read about herbs and spices

Allspice          Alfalfa       Ashwagandha        Bay leaf              Black cohosh           

Black onion seeds       Black pepper       Cayenne pepper    Celery          Chives       

 Chamomile        Clove     Coffee senna    Coriander       Curry leaf         Cumin        

Eucalyptus       Fennel            Fenugreek       Garlic      Ginger         Gotu Kola       

Hibiscus         Holy basil    Jasmine     Kava Kava     Lavender     Licorice   

Long pepper    Lotus   Majoram      Marigold     Mugwort     Mustard seeds      

 Neem    Nutmeg       Oregano     Peppermint     Red  clover        Rose       Rosemary           

Sage         Sensitive plant   St.John’s wort        Tarragon        Thyme     Triphala powder        

Turmeric     Vetiver grass    Wheat grass      Wild amarnath