arum

ar·um  (rm, âr-)

n.

1. Any of several Old World plants, such as the cuckoopint, of the genus Arum, having basal, arrowhead-shaped leaves.

2. Any of several related plants, such as the arrow arum and water arum.

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[Latin, wake-robin, from Greek aron.]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	arum - starch resembling sago that is obtained from cuckoopint root Arum maculatum, cuckoopint, lords-and-ladies, jack-in-the-pulpit - common European arum with lanceolate spathe and short purple spadix; emerges in early spring; source of a starch called arum amylum, starch - a complex carbohydrate found chiefly in seeds, fruits, tubers, roots and stem pith of plants, notably in corn, potatoes, wheat, and rice; an important foodstuff and used otherwise especially in adhesives and as fillers and stiffeners for paper and textiles
	2.	arum - any plant of the family Araceae; have small flowers massed on a spadix surrounded by a large spathe aroid Araceae, arum family, family Araceae - anthurium; calla lily; jack-in-the-pulpit; philodendron Arum maculatum, cuckoopint, lords-and-ladies, jack-in-the-pulpit - common European arum with lanceolate spathe and short purple spadix; emerges in early spring; source of a starch called arum Arum palaestinum, black calla - ornamental plant of Middle East cultivated for its dark purple spathe alocasia, elephant ear, elephant's ear - any plant of the genus Alocasia having large showy basal leaves and boat-shaped spathe and reddish berries amorphophallus - any plant of the genus Amorphophallus Amorphophallus campanulatus, Amorphophallus paeonifolius, elephant yam, pungapung, telingo potato - putrid-smelling aroid of southeastern Asia (especially the Philippines) grown for its edible tuber Amorphophallus rivieri, devil's tongue, snake palm, umbrella arum - foul-smelling somewhat fleshy tropical plant of southeastern Asia cultivated for its edible corms or in the greenhouse for its large leaves and showy dark red spathe surrounding a large spadix Amorphophallus titanum, krubi, titan arum - malodorous tropical plant having a spathe that resembles the corolla of a morning glory and attains a diameter of several feet Arisaema atrorubens, Arisaema triphyllum, Indian turnip, jack-in-the-pulpit, wake-robin - common American spring-flowering woodland herb having sheathing leaves and an upright club-shaped spadix with overarching green and purple spathe producing scarlet berries Arisaema dracontium, green dragon - early spring-flowering plant of eastern North America resembling the related jack-in-the-pulpit but having digitate leaves, slender greenish yellow spathe and elongated spadix Arisarum vulgare, friar's-cowl - tuberous perennial having a cowl-shaped maroon or violet-black spathe; Mediterranean; Canaries; Azores caladium - any plant of the genus Caladium cultivated for their ornamental foliage variously patterned in white or pink or red Colocasia esculenta, dalo, taro plant, dasheen, taro - herb of the Pacific islands grown throughout the tropics for its edible root and in temperate areas as an ornamental for its large glossy leaves Dieffenbachia sequine, dumb cane, mother-in-law plant, mother-in-law's tongue - an evergreen plant with large showy dark green leaves; contains a poison that swells the tongue and throat hence the name dracontium - any plant of the genus Dracontium; strongly malodorous tropical American plants usually with gigantic leaves Dracunculus vulgaris, dragon arum, green dragon - European arum resembling the cuckoopint nephthytis - any plant of the genus Nephthytis malanga, spoonflower, tannia, Xanthosoma atrovirens, Xanthosoma sagittifolium, yautia - tropical American aroid having edible tubers that are cooked and eaten like yams or potatoes herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests