Irritant/poisonous plant - novice identification Season - late winter to autumn Common names Lords and ladies, cuckoo pint, Jack in the pulpit, stallions and mares, bulls and cows, wake Robin, toad's meat, adder's meat, adder's victuals, buckrams, starchwort, Portland starch, kings and queens, cobbler's thumb, Kitty-come-down-the-lane-jump-up-and-kiss-me, cuckoopintell, snakeshead, adder's root, arum lily, wild arum, soldiers diddies, priest's pintle, bobbins, Adam and Eve, naked boys, naked girls, Sonsie-give-us-your-hand, friar's cowl, cheese and toast, devils and angels
Scientific name meaning: The etymology of Arum is much debated but it is likely to have origins in the Arabic word Ar, meaning fire. Maculatum is from the Latin Maculatus, which means to make or be spotted or speckled. The species name is in reference the spots often found on the leaves
Habitat  As a shade lover, lords and ladies is found in woodland, shady gardens and hedgerows. It is native to Europe and North Africa. |
Overall structure  A mass of arrow-shaped leaves, reaching up to 20cm each, form in late winter into early spring. These are followed by a hooded flower. After pollination, the leaves die back an a single flower stem containing a club of orange fruits is all that remains. |
Leaves  The leaves are arrow-shaped with two tail-like lobes at their base. The vein pattern is reticulate (net-like). The leaves sometimes have dark, almost black, patches on them and can reach 20cm in length. |
Stem  The flower stem is cylindrical, sold and hairless. It can reach 50cm tall. |
Flowers  The flower is in a spadix (spiked) formation. The spadix is enveloped in a specialised leaf called a bract that sheaths the flower like a hood (spathe). The visible part of the spadix contains red-brown male flowers, and then inside the spathe are the ball-like female flowers, each with long hair-like structures. |
Fruits  In summer, the leaves die back and the spathe disappear revealing the female reproductive parts. These swell into spherical green fruits that eventually ripen to orange. |
Possible lookalikes  Apart from its own relatives, lords and ladies could be confused with common sorrel (Rumex acetosa), pictured. However, its tails are sharply pointed rather than rounded. Lords and ladies often grows among wild garlic (Allium ursinum) and young leaves lack tails. The netted vein pattern, compared to wild garlic's parallel veins and smell are the key differences to note.
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Irritant/poisonous parts All parts of the plant contain calcium oxalate crystals. These penetrate the skin causing immense pain and irritation. It is particularly painful on the mucus membranes - for example eyes, inner nose and inside the mouth.
In severe cases, it could be possible for ingested lords and ladies to cause death through asphyxiation. However, the pain caused by eating lords and ladies would be enough to prevent most people from consuming a life-threatening quantity.
Despite this, the leaves have been eaten after thorough cooking. The roots have also been consumed as a starch-rich tuber after thorough cooking and repeated water changes. The Foraging Course Company strongly advises against consumption of Arum maculatum Use in herbal medicine and medicine Lords and ladies has been used to induce sweating and vomiting, and to treat internal parasites. In addition, there are reports of it being used to treat painful throat conditions and rheumatism
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner.
Hazards This plant is a severe irritant
Other uses The starch from the root has been used to stiffen clothes Importance to other species The berries are eaten by birds, which do not react to calcium oxalate crystals in the same way mammals do
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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