CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

DUMB CANE

(Dieffenbachia picta (Lodd.) Schott.)

Botanical name	: Dieffenbachia picta (Lodd.) Schott.
Common Name	: Dumb Cane
Family	: Araceae
Synonym	: Dieffenbachia maculata (Lodd.) G. Don
About	: Dieffenbachia picta received the epithet "Dumb-cane" because chewing the leaves can lead to salivation, burning, mucosal edema, perioral edema, and blisters causing hoarseness or aphonia. Dieffenbachia picta is a long-lived, evergreen, perennial herb growing to height of 1 to 1.5 meters. Stem is branchless, about 2.5 centimeters thick, cylindrical, tinged with leaf scars, and erect with the base usually reclining. Leaves concentrated towards the apical part of the stem, the stalk elongated, broadly grooved, the lower part forming a sheath around the stem. Leaves are 20 to 40 centimetres long, 10 to 20 centimeters wide, oblong to broadly lanced-shaped, dark to glossy green on both sides, with numerous white or yellowish spots or streaks, the base rounded to acute, the tip narrow. Flower cluster is white, erect, subtended and partly enclosed by a leaflike spathe. Flowers are stalkless, the males crowded on the upper part of the cluster, the females on the lower, the latter enclosed the spathe's tubular base. Fruits are berries, orange when ripe.