A herbaceous perennial plant growing from 30 to 65 cm in height. Leaves are trifoliate, with groups of three leaves growing together at the top of a long stem; each leaflet is 8-15 cm long and 3-7 cm broad. Inflorescences are shaped irregularly and grow to a length of up to 8 cm long. They are greenish-yellow with purple or brownish stripes. Flowers are unisexual, in small plants most if not all the flowers are male, as plants age and grow larger the spadix produces more female flowers. Fruits are smooth, shiny green, 1 cm wide berries clustered on the thickened spadix.

Acrid, antiseptic, antifertility, diaphoretic, expectorant, irritant and stimulant (root).

Plants For A Future
King's American Dispensatory
Wikipedia

Calcium oxalate, lignin (plant).

The dried roots are applied as a poultice on headaches, scrofulous sores, rheumatism, boils, abscesses and ringworm. Preparations are also made to treat snakebites, to induce sterility, in flatulence, croup, whooping-cough, stomatitis, asthma, chronic laryngitis, bronchitis, pains in the chest, colic, low stage of typhus, and various affections connected with a cachectic state of the system. Externally it has been used in scrofulous tumors, tinea capitis, and other cutaneous diseases. A decoction of the root has been used as a wash for sore eyes.