Gen info
- Araceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. Also known as the arum family, members are colloquially known as aroids. The family contains 114 genera and about 3,750 known species. (4)
- Schismatoglottis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae Genus members are similar in appearance and growth habit to Homalomena genus, primarily differing in that leaves of Schismatoglottis are not aromatic. As of November 20225, POWO accepts 97 species.
- Etymology: The genus name Schismatoglottis derives from Ancient Greek schismatos, meaning "separating," and glotta, meaning "tongue," referring to the deciduous upper part of the spathe. The specific epithet calyptrata derives from Latin, meaning "veiled" or "hooded." (3)

Botany
• Growth form: A stoloniferous, herbaceous aroid, growing up to 15 - 60 cm tall. Foliage: Leaves are heart-shaped to arrowhead-shaped, growing up to 7 - 35 cm long and 4 - 18 cm wide, occasionally variegated with sparse light green splotches. The leaves are petiolate and arranged in a rosette.Flowers: Inflorescence is a spadix, subtended by a pale green spathe. The spadix can reach up to 3.5 - 12 cm tall, with a lanceolate appendix (upper, infertile portion of the spadix), followed by reduced male flowers and reduced female flowers towards the base. The upper portion of the spathe withers and falls off during the maturation of the male flowers. Fruit: Infrutescence is a cluster of berries. (Flora & Fauna Web)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines. (1) (2)
- In Alabat, Catanduanes, Cebu, Leyte, Palawan, Panay, Samar, Siargao; in Luzon: Albay, Bataan, Batangas, Camarines Norte, Cavite, Laguna, Mountain Province, Quezon, Sorsogon; in Mindanao: Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Davao del Oro, Davoa del Sul, South Cototabo. (1)
- Also native to Bismarck Archipelago, China Southeast, Malaya, Maluku, New Guinea, Solomon Is., Sulawesi, Sumatera, Taiwan, Vanuatu. (2)

Properties
- Toxicity: Like many members of the Araceae family, Schismatoglottis calyptrata contains calcium oxalate raphides. The sap is a strong irritant, both to the skin and on ingestion, causing irritation of the mouth, tongue, and digestive tract. Caution includes keeping the plant out of reach of children and pets.

Parts used
Stems, leaves, sap.

Uses
Edibility
- Fruit is edible; used as substitute for gabi (Taro).
- Roots and leaves reportedly eaten. (Caution: see toxicity)
Folkloric
- No reported folkloric medicinal use in the Philippines.
- In East Sepik, Papua New Guinea, leaves used for treatment of skin sores. (6)
- In Chinese medicine, stems used as tonic for treatment of lumbago and arthralgia. (6)
- In Borneo, the Dayak tribe use plant sap for treatment of external wounds.
Others
- Feed: In West Java, leaves used as fish feed.

Studies
• No studies found.

Availability
Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Araceae: Schismatoglottis calyptrata / Pieter B Pelser / Co's Digital Flora Database
(2)
Schismatoglottis calyptrata / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(3)
Schismatoglottis calyptrata / NATIONAL PARKS: Flora & Fauna Web
(4)
Araceae: Wikipedia
(5)
Schismatoglottis / Wikipedia
(6)
An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea / Michael Koch, Dickson Andrew Kehop, Boniface Kinminja, Prem P Rai et al / J Ethnobiol Ethnomed., 2015; 11:79 / DOI: 10.1186/s13002-015-0065-8
(7)
Review: Traditional knowledge of the Dayak Tribe (Borneo) in the use of medicinal plants / Fatiha Ristya Za-Zahra, Neriza Laras Widya Sari, Ahmad Dwi Setyawan et al / BIODIVERSITAS, 2021; 22(10): pp 4633-4647 / ISSN: 1412-033X; eISSN: 2085-4722 / DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d221057
(8)
SR: A novel feature of structural variegation in leaves of the tropical plant Schismatoglottis calyptrata / Hirokazu Tsukaya et al / Journal of Plant Research, 2004; 117(6) / DOI: 10.1007/s10265-004-0178-x

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