ts’akw’a’ | Skunk Cabbage – Plants in the Hul’q’umi’num’ World

Hul'q'umi'num' name:

ts'akw'a'

English Name:

Skunk Cabbage

Alternative English Names:

Swamp Lantern

Scientific Name:

Lysichiton americanum/americanus

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Description

Description, Habitat, Ecology, Distribution

This plant of swamps, bogs and other moist sites is so-named because of the strong odour produced by the flowers. These flowers are tiny and borne on a vertical stalk that is hooded by a distinctive bright yellow bract (modified leaf).

Island Cultural Role

Skunk cabbage leaves were used as an undermat for drying berries.

Cautions

This species may be harmful. It produces cells that contain bundles of microscopic, needle-shaped crystals (raphides) of calcium oxalate, which penetrate various human tissues if consumed. This can produce extreme burning and inflammation and, in severe cases, choking and possibly death.

Language

Hul'q'umi'num' Name

ts'akw'a'

APA

c̓ak̓ʷaʔ

Speaker

Theresa Thorne

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Theresa Thorne from kwa’mutsun shares some information on skunk cabbage

Some Hul’q’umi’num’ Plants

A closer look at our relatives, ts’aqw’a’, xum’xum’, and qwa’pulhp by Sally Hart, July 18, 2018

’i’mushasum’ ’i’ thunu ’imuth | Walking with my Granddaughter – Marlene Tommy & Ruby Peter

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Featured Plant

saaqw’ | Cow Parsnip

Cow-parsnip is a large, herbaceous plant that produces large clusters of white flowers followed by small, flat seed-like fruits. It grows along streambanks, moist slopes, and clearings as well as a variety of other habitats from sea level to subalpine elevations. It is common throughout the entire coastal area of the province.

The hollow stems and solid leaf stalks of this plant are edible, once peeled to remove the skin. The term saaqw’ seems to refer to the entire plant of cow-parsnip. Cow-parsnip stems and leaf stalks are edible when peeled. They must be peeled before they are eaten to remove the outer skin, which can cause skin irritation upon contact with bare, moist skin in the presence of sunlight. The term yaala applies to the edible portion of cow-parsnips, possibly both the stems and the leaf stalks.