Dumb Cane

Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia seguina), a plant of the order Araceae, aberrant in its almost arbor-escent character, but agreeing with them in its acridity, which is in none of them more highly developed. It has a cylindrical stem, with ringed scars and oblongo-ovate leaves. It is a native of the West Indies, and has received its English name from the property which it has of producing dumbness when chewed, its acrid poisonous juice causing an immediate swelling of the tongue, accompanied with excruciating pain. It has, however, been used medicinally. Many species and varieties of Dieffenbachia are in cultivation as foliage plants.