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			{{Inc\|
			Dieffenbachia (J. F. Dieffenbach, a German botanist, 1794-1847) Araceae. Popular hothouse plants, grown for their handsome and striking foliage.

			Low, shrubby perennials: sts. rather thick, inclined or creeping at the base, then erect, with a leafy top: petioles half-cylindrical, sheathed to above the middle, long, cylindrical at the apex; blade oblong, with a thick midrib at the base; veins very numerous, the first and second parallel, ascending, curving upward at their ends: peduncle shorter than the lvs. Differs from Aglaonema in floral characters. Cent. and S. Amer.—

			Perhaps a dozen species. Engler (in Engler & Prantl, 1889) recognizes many species, with many varieties.

			For dieffenbachias, similar rooting material to that mentioned for anthuriums, combined with a high and moist atmosphere, will produce a very healthy and luxuriant growth of foliage, especially after the plants have made their first few leaves in ordinary light potting soil. Unless it be the very large-leaved kinds, like D. triumphans, D. nobilis and D. Baumannii, three or four plants may be placed together in large pots, keeping the balls near the surface in potting. D. Jenmanii, D. Shuttleworthiana, D. Leopoldii and D. eburnea are all well suited for massing together in large pots. When above a certain height, varying in different species, the plants come to have fewer leaves, and those that remain are small; they should then be topped, retaining a considerable piece of the stem, and placed in the sand-bed, where they will throw out thick roots in a week or two. The remaining part of the stems should then be cut up into pieces 2 or 3 inches long, dried for a day or so, and then put into boxes of sand, when, if kept warm and only slightly moist, every piece will send out a shoot, and from the base of this shoot roots will be produced. These can be potted up as soon as roots have formed. (G. W. Oliver.)

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	{{Taxobox		{{Taxobox
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WikiWorks at 03:16, 28 March 2007

2007-03-28T03:16:05Z

New page

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Dieffenbachia''
| image = Colpfl29.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''Dieffenbachia bowmannii''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Alismatales]]
| familia = [[Araceae]]
| genus = '''''Dieffenbachia'''''
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
See text.
}}

'''''Dieffenbachia''''' is a genus of [[tropical]] [[plant]]s in the Family [[Araceae]] noted for their patterned [[leaves]]. Members of this [[genus]] are popular as [[houseplant]]s because of their tolerance to shade. The ''Dieffenbachia'' is often referred to as the "King of Plants".

The [[cell (biology)|cell]]s of the ''Dieffenbachia'' plant contain needle-shaped [[calcium oxalate]] [[crystal]]s called [[Ergastic substances|raphides]]. If a leaf is chewed, these crystals cause a burning [[sensation]] in the [[mouth]] and [[throat]]; [[swelling]] can occur along with a temporary inability to [[speak]], and from this effect the plants are commonly called '''dumb cane''' (other names include Galatea and Leopard Lily). Chewing could result in [[death]] if swelling of the throat blocks the [[airway]]. [[slavery|Slave]]s were supposedly sometimes [[punish]]ed by having dieffenbachia put into their mouths <ref>{{cite journal
| authorlink = John T. Watson et al
| title = Outbreak of Food-borne Illness Associated with Plant Material Containing Raphides
| journal = Clinical Toxicology
| volume = 43
| pages = 17-21
| date = 2005
| publisher = Taylor & Francis
| doi = 10.1081/CLT-44721}}</ref>. Young children (at the age where they regularly put things into their mouths) are at risk of suffocation and death if they eat or chew on ''Dieffenbachia'' leaves. Some [[cat]]s eat houseplants and flowers; they are similarly at risk.

==Favorable conditions for houseplants==
''Dieffenbachia'' plants can grow outdoors in tropical climates, but specimens kept as houseplants must be kept indoors during most of the year outside the tropics. Temperatures below about 5˚C (40˚F) can kill the plant. The plant needs light but filtered sunlight through a window is usually sufficient. When the plant is brought home from the nursery, it will likely need repotting. The plant needs moderately moist soil. The soil should be fertilized with either regular liquid fertilizing or fertilizer pellets or spikes. Leaves will periodically roll up and fall off to make way for new leaves. Yellowing of the leaves is generally a sign of poor conditions, such as a nutrient deficiency in the soil.

===Selected species===
*''[[Dieffenbachia amoena]]''
*''[[Dieffenbachia maculata]]''
*''[[Dieffenbachia seguine]]''

==References==
<references/>

{{Commons|Dieffenbachia}}

[[Category:Araceae]]
[[Category:Garden plants]]

Dieffenbachia - Revision history

59.92.113.67 at 17:34, 31 August 2009

WikiWorks at 03:16, 28 March 2007