The aim of this study is to test the potential as natural resources of Arum maculatum L. exploitation, a promising plant for treatment against haemorrhoids. Our surveys indicated that the plant is a common woodland species in Bulgaria but with low abundances, uneven distribution, and that the traditional remedial part, the rhizome, possesses a low weight even in large individuals. Moreover, A. maculatum is a slow growing monocot, needing at least 7 years to first flower and about 20–30 years for getting large rhizomes. Consequently, it appears that there is a limited potential to the exploitation of A. maculatum as natural resource and that the sustainable use for medicinal purposes of the plant should be based on cultivation.
Key words: plant distribution, stage population structure, Ari Tubera yield
Topic: BIOLOGY