Flamingo lily
General poisoning notes:
Flamingo lily (Anthurium andraeanum) is an indoor ornamental plant that produces striking flowers. Ingestion can cause painful irritation of the mouth and throat. Other species of the genus Anthurium may be cultivated in Canada, and all these plants should be regarded as containing calcium oxalate crystals, an irritant.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Anthurium andraeanum Lind.
Vernacular name(s): flamingo lily
Scientific family name: Araceae
Vernacular family name: arum
Anthurium andraeanum Lind.
Geographic Information
Plant or plant parts used in or around the home.
Toxic parts:
Leaves, stems
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Flamingo lily (Anthurium andraeanum) contains calcium oxalate raphide crystals, which cause painful swelling in the mouth and throat upon ingestion. These crystals readily penetrate mucous membranes, leading to irritation (Lampe and McCann 1985). Unidentified toxic proteins are also contained in the plants (Fuller and McClintock 1986).
Toxic plant chemicals:
Oxalate
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Humans
General symptoms of poisoning:
Blistering, dysphagia, hoarseness.
