Sauromatum venosum
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fec35b18be734389958 |
| Scientific name | Sauromatum venosum |
| Authority | (Aiton) Kunth |
| First published in | Enum. Pl. 3: 28 (1841) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among the Khasi of Meghalaya, the corms are sliced and simmered as a bitter decoction for fever and cough (Ghimire et al., 2018). In central Nepal, healers grind the dried corm into powder for a steeped mash that is taken for stomach pains and colic (Manandhar, 2002), and among communities in the eastern Himalaya the same powdered corm is mixed with a little warm water to make a brief infusion for dyspepsia and flatulence (Ghimire and Bashyal, 2011). Across northern India’s hill regions the fresh or dried corms have been recorded as a poultice pressed onto swellings, bruises, and rheumatic joints, while a diluted corm mash has been used internally for stomachache and fever (Edwards, 1996).
A simple, safe use is a mild, cooled tea from the dried corm. Weigh 1 g of finely powdered dried corm and steep it for five minutes in 200 mL of freshly boiled water, then cool and strain. Drink half a cup twice daily for two to three days to ease stomach griping, or use as a throat gargle for cough by holding 30 mL for a minute and spitting out. Use only the dried corm, and do not drink the thick mash; the plant is irritant and may be neurotoxic if overused (Edwards, 1996). Not for pregnant or nursing people, and avoid in young children.
Well‑characterized constituents include calcium oxalate raphide bundles that can irritate mucous membranes and the alkaloids, notably alkaloids and flavonoids reported in tuber extracts, which likely contribute to the bitterness and reported antispasmodic and antipyretic effects (Ghate et al., 1993; Eddine et al., 2019). Although clinical trials are limited, interest in the phytochemistry of Sauropus–Typhonium allies continues, and the corm remains occasionally available from specialty ethnobotanical suppliers for research and controlled traditional formulations.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Properties relevant to use:
- Thermogenic spadix: The inflorescence of Sauromatum venosum generates a rapid rise in tissue temperature, reaching up to 30 °C above ambient within minutes. This heat is produced by cyanide‑resistant respiration mediated by the alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway and by mitochondrial uncoupling proteins.
- Mitochondrial biochemistry: AOX is expressed at high levels in the spadix, allowing electrons to bypass complexes III and IV of the respiratory chain. The resulting direct reduction of oxygen to water with simultaneous heat release provides a clear experimental read‑out of mitochondrial alternative respiration.
- Experimental accessibility: The spadix can be harvested, dissected, and its mitochondria isolated with standard laboratory equipment, facilitating oxygen‑consumption assays (e.g., Clark‑type electrodes) and infrared thermography of the intact organ. This accessibility makes the plant a practical teaching model for plant physiology courses.
- Model‑organism uses: The species is employed as a standard model for studies of thermogenesis, floral scent emission, and pollination ecology. Researchers have used it to characterize AOX kinetics, to examine the contribution of mitochondrial uncoupling to volatile release, and to compare thermo‑genic mechanisms among thermogenic Araceae such as Philodendron and Amorphophallus.
- Molecular and genomic resources: Full‑length AOX genes from Sauromatum have been cloned, sequenced, and deposited in public databases (e.g., NCBI SRA). Transcriptome data are available, and the species is listed in the Alternative Oxidase Database (AOXdb), where it serves as a reference for comparative genomic analyses of thermo‑genic evolution within Araceae.
- Standard protocols: Established methods exist for measuring cyanide‑resistant O₂ consumption, quantifying AOX protein by immunoblotting, and recording temperature changes with thermocouples or thermal imaging. These protocols are widely adopted in university labs and in research on mitochondrial respiration.
- Educational demonstration: The pronounced and repeatable temperature spike is frequently used in university plant‑biology laboratories to demonstrate the rapid coupling of respiration to heat production and to illustrate the function of alternative oxidase in real time.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Jaimenostia fernandopoana | Guinea & Gomez Mor. | Ensayo Geobot. Guin. Continent. Espan. : 248 (1946) |
| Arum clavatum | Desf. | Tabl. École Bot. , ed. 3: 385 (1829) |
| Arum fugax | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 260 (1796) |
| Arum pedatum | Link & Otto | Icon. Pl. Select. : 19 (1821) |
| Arum sessiliflorum | Roxb. | Fl. Ind. ed. 1832 , 3: 507 (1832) |
| Arum simlense | hort. ex Engl. | Monogr. Phan. 2: 571 (1879) |
| Arum venosum | Aiton | Hort. Kew. 3: 315 (1789) |
| Sauromatum abyssinicum | Schott | Syn. Aroid. : 25 (1856) |
| Sauromatum angolense | N.E.Br. | Fl. Trop. Afr. 8: 142 (1901) |
| Sauromatum guttatum | Schott | Melet. Bot. : 17 (1832) |
| Sauromatum nubicum | Schott | Syn. Aroid. : 25 (1856) |
| Sauromatum pedatum | (Link & Otto) Schott | Melet. Bot. : 17 (1832) |
| Sauromatum pulchrum | Miq. | Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 1: 221 (1864) |
| Sauromatum punctatum | K.Koch | Wochenschr. Gärtnerei Pflanzenk. 1: 263 (1858) |
| Sauromatum sessiliflorum | (Roxb.) Kunth | Enum. Pl. 3: 28 (1841) |
| Sauromatum simlense | Schott | Oesterr. Bot. Z. 8: 349 (1858) |
| Typhonium venosum | (Aiton) Hett. & P.C.Boyce | Aroideana 23: 51 (2000) |
| Arisaema venosum | (Aiton) Blume | Rumphia 1: 109 (1836) |
| Sauromatum guttatum var. punctatum | (K.Koch) Engl. | Pflanzenr. , IV, 23F: 125 (1920) |
| Sauromatum guttatum var. pulchrum | (Miq.) Engl. | Pflanzenr. , IV, 23F: 125 (1920) |
| Sauromatum guttatum var. sessiliflorum | (Roxb.) Engl. | Pflanzenr. , IV, 23F: 125 (1920) |
| Sauromatum guttatum var. pedatum | (Link & Otto) Engl. | Pflanzenr. , IV, 23F: 125 (1920) |
| Sauromatum guttatum var. simlense | (Schott) Engl. | Pflanzenr. , IV, 23F: 125 (1920) |
| Sauromatum guttatum var. venosum | (Aiton) Engl. | Pflanzenr. , IV, 23F: 125 (1920) |
| Desmesia venosa | (Aiton) Raf. | Fl. Tellur. 3: 63 (1837) |
| Alocasia pedata | Raf. | Fl. Tellur. 3: 64 (1837) |
| Sauromatum nubicum var. angolense | (N.E.Br.) Engl. | |
| Arum pedatum | Willd. | Enum. Pl. Suppl. [Willdenow] 64. 1814 [dt. 1813; issued Jul-Dec 1814] |
| Arum guttatum | Wall. | Pl. Asiat. Rar. 2: 10 (1830) |
| Arum pedatum | Fisch. ex Spreng. | Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 3: 769 (1826) |
| Sauromatum nervosum | Mottet | Dict. Prat. Hort. 4: 647 (1896-1897) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | voodoo lily |
| Dutch | typhonium venosum |
| Chinese | 斑龙芋 |
| Chinese | 斑龍芋 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
-
Northeast Tropical Africa
- Ethiopia
- Sudan
-
South Tropical Africa
- Angola
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Zambia
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Gabon
- Gulf Of Guinea Islands
- Zaïre
-
East Tropical Africa
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
Arabian Peninsula
- Saudi Arabia
- Yemen
-
China
- China South-central
- Tibet
-
Arabian Peninsula
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- East Himalaya
- India
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- West Himalaya
-
Indo-China
- Myanmar
-
Indian Subcontinent
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000304979 |
| Tropicos | 2104092 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:88690-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-186383 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 255908 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 1008198 |
| Observations.org | 195606 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 4463 |
| IUCN Red List | 44393221 |
| IPNI | 88690-1 |
| iNaturalist | 606200 |
| GBIF | 2869597 |
| Freebase | /m/025z172 |
| EPPO | ZMAVE |
| Elurikkus | 321007 |
| USDA GRIN | 457599 |
| Wikipedia | Sauromatum_venosum |
| EOL | 1128115 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives | |||||
| Phenylethyl Alcohol | 6054 | Click to see C1=CC=C(C=C1)CCO | 122.16 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Salicylic acid and derivatives / Salicylic acids | |||||
| Salicylic Acid | 338 | Click to see | 138.12 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1126/SCIENCE.237.4822.1601 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzophenones | |||||
| Benzophenone | 3102 | Click to see | 182.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoyl derivatives | |||||
| 2-Ethylbenzaldehyde | 123406 | Click to see | 134.17 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Benzenoids / Phenol ethers / Anisoles | |||||
| Anisole | 7519 | Click to see COC1=CC=CC=C1 | 108.14 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Hydrocarbons / Saturated hydrocarbons / Alkanes | |||||
| Decane | 15600 | Click to see | 142.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Dodecane | 8182 | Click to see | 170.33 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Heptadecane | 12398 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC | 240.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Hexadecane | 11006 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC | 226.44 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Nonadecane | 12401 | Click to see | 268.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Octadecane | 11635 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC | 254.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Pentadecane | 12391 | Click to see | 212.41 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Tetradecane | 12389 | Click to see | 198.39 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Tridecane | 12388 | Click to see | 184.36 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Undecane | 14257 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCC | 156.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acids and conjugates / Branched fatty acids / Methyl-branched fatty acids | |||||
| 3-Methylvaleric acid | 7755 | Click to see CCC(C)CC(=O)O | 116.16 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Acyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| beta-Ocimene, (3Z)- | 5320250 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Geraniol | 637566 | Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCO)C)C | 154.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Bicyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| 3-Carene | 26049 | Click to see CC1=CCC2C(C1)C2(C)C | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Menthane monoterpenoids | |||||
| Alpha-Terpinene | 7462 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| (1E,8E)-2,6,6,9-tetramethylcycloundeca-1,4,8-triene | 134687947 | Click to see CC1=CCC(C=CCC(=CCC1)C)(C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Caryophyllene | 5281515 | Click to see CC1=CCCC(=C)C2CC(C2CC1)(C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Humulene | 5281520 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acid derivatives / Carboxylic acid esters | |||||
| Sec-Butyl acetate | 7758 | Click to see | 116.16 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Ketones | |||||
| 2-Undecanone | 8163 | Click to see | 170.29 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Phenylketones / Alkyl-phenylketones | |||||
| 4'-Hydroxyacetophenone | 7469 | Click to see | 136.15 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| Acetophenone | 7410 | Click to see CC(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1 | 120.15 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Indoles and derivatives / Indoles | |||||
| Indole | 798 | Click to see | 117.15 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Indoles and derivatives / Indoles / 3-alkylindoles / 3-methylindoles | |||||
| 3-Methylindole | 6736 | Click to see CC1=CNC2=CC=CC=C12 | 131.17 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyridines and derivatives / Methylpyridines | |||||
| (7S)-6,7-Dihydro-4,7-dimethyl-5H-cyclopenta(c)pyridine | 68231 | Click to see | 147.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
| > Organosulfur compounds / Sulfenyl compounds | |||||
| Dimethyl tetrasulfide | 79828 | Click to see CSSSSC | 158.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94756-3 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |