Calla, << KAL uh, >> is a flowerlike herb with a white, yellow, or pink leaf shaped like a funnel or bell. The large, beautiful leaf is often mistaken for the flower. But the real flowers are tiny blossoms inside the flowerlike leaf. The North American calla is called marsh calla, or water arum. This little plant has heart-shaped leaves about 2 inches (5 centimeters) long. It is closely related to the jack-in-the-pulpit. The marsh calla grows wild in marshy places. The plant is also cultivated as a crop along the edges of ponds. In Lapland, the people grind up the root of the marsh calla to make flour for bread.
The most common tropical calla comes from the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. It is called calla lily, Ethiopian lily, or common calla. It has a 10-inch (25-centimeter) white leaf. The calla lily causes a burning irritation to the mouth and stomach if eaten.
