Swiss-cheese plant
General poisoning notes:
Swiss-cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) is an indoor ornamental. The leaves can cause problems if chewed by humans or family pets. Experimental rats and mice died after they were fed plant extracts (Der Marderosian et al. 1976, Lampe and McCann 1985).
Description:
The tiny flowers are in an upright, fleshy, phallic, pale yellowish, up to 1 foot (30 cm) long spadix (flower spike) enclosed by a large, creamy white, boat-shaped spathe (petal-like bract). The inflorescences look like large, crude calla lilies. The flowers are followed by large, green, fleshy, phallic or corncob-like fruits with hexagonal fruit segments and aromatic white flesh. The leaves are large, up to 3 feet (0.9 m) across, glossy dark green, leathery, alternate, heart-shaped, and pinnately dissected with deep slits and oblong, Swiss cheese-like perforations along the midrib. The stems either sprawl on the ground or climb trees using aerial roots that can become long and trailing.
Monstera deliciosa Liebm.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Monstera deliciosa Liebm.
Vernacular name(s): Swiss-cheese plant
Scientific family name: Araceae
Vernacular family name: arum
Synonym: Philodendron pertusum
Common Names: Monstera, Tarovine, Swiss Cheese Plant, Monster Fruit, Split-leaf Philodendron, Mexican Breadfruit, Windowleaf, Salad Fruit
Geographic Information
A native of Mexico and Guatemala; widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics. Plant or plant parts used in or around the home.
Toxic parts:
Leaves.
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:
Aphonia, blistering, hoarseness, mouth, irritation of, urticaria.
Notes on poisoning:
Chewing the leaf causes severe pain and irritation, along with blistering and edema of mouth tissue. Hoarseness and loss of voice can also occur. The insoluble oxalates do not cause systemic poisoning in humans (Lampe and McCann 1985). Ingesting the ripened fruit can cause rapidly developing urticaria (hives) in sensitive individuals (Mitchell and Rook 1979). The ripe fruit is edible but is not normally produced indoors in Canada.
