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• Interesting Facts
• Conservation Status
• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Habitat
• Reproduction
• Growth
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes
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Interesting Facts:

Conservation Status

Uses as Product: Berry/Nut/Seed Product: No • Christmas Tree Product: No • Fodder Product: No • Fuelwood Product: None • Lumber Product: No • Naval Store Product: No • Nursery Stock Product: No • Post Product: No • Protein Potential: Low • Pulpwood Product: No • Veneer Product: No

Edibility: Palatable Browse Animal: Low • Palatable Graze Animal: Low • Palatable Human: No • Toxicity: Slight

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms:

1. A. atrorubens (Aiton) Blume
2. A. polymorphum (Buckley) Chapman
3. A. pusillum (Peck) Nash
4. A. quinatum (Nuttall) Schott
5. A. stewardsonii Britton
6. A. triphyllum subsp. pusillum (Peck) Huttleston
7. A. triphyllum subsp. quinatum (Nuttall) Huttleston
8. A. triphyllum subsp. stewardsonii (Britton) Huttleston
9. A. triphyllum var. pusillum Peck
10. A. triphyllum var. stewardsonii (Britton) Stevens ex Wiegand & Eames
11. Alocasia atrorubens (Aiton) Raf.
12. Alocasia lobata Raf.
13. Alocasia triphylla (L.) Raf.
14. Arisaema acuminatum Small
15. Arisaema atrorubens (Aiton) Blume
16. Arisaema atrorubens forma pallascens (Sims) Raymond
17. Arisaema atrorubens forma pusillum (Peck) Fernald
18. Arisaema atrorubens forma viride (Engl.) Fernald
19. Arisaema atrorubens forma zebrinum (Sims) Fernald
20. Arisaema atrorubens var. viride Engl.
21. Arisaema atrorubens var. zebrinum (Sims) Raymond
22. Arisaema brasilianum Blume
23. Arisaema deflexum Nieuwl. and K.Just
24. Arisaema hastatum Blume
25. Arisaema polymorphum (Buckley) Chapm.
26. Arisaema pusillum Nash
27. Arisaema pusillum forma pallidum Eames
28. Arisaema quinatum (Nutt.) Schott
29. Arisaema quinatum var. obtusoquinatum Alph.Wood
30. Arisaema stewardsonii Britton
31. Arisaema triphyllum bispadiceum Engl.
32. Arisaema triphyllum bispathaceum Engl.
33. Arisaema triphyllum forma pusillum (Peck) Fernald
34. Arisaema triphyllum forma stewardsonii (Britton) Engl.
35. Arisaema triphyllum forma viride (Engl.) Farw.
36. Arisaema triphyllum forma zebrinum (Sims) F.Seym.
37. Arisaema triphyllum subsp. pusillum (Peck) Huttl.
38. Arisaema triphyllum subsp. quinatum (Nutt.) Nutt.
39. Arisaema triphyllum subsp. stewardsonii (Britton) Huttl.
40. Arisaema triphyllum trispadiceum Engl.
41. Arisaema triphyllum var. acuminatum (Small) Engl.
42. Arisaema triphyllum var. montanum Fernald
43. Arisaema triphyllum var. pusillum Peck
44. Arisaema triphyllum var. stewardsonii (Britton) Stevens
45. Arisaema triphyllum var. typicum Engl.
46. Arisaema triphyllum var. viride (Engl.) Engl.
47. Arisaema zebrinum G.Nicholson
48. Arum atrorubens Aiton
49. Arum polymorphum Buckley
50. Arum quinatum Nutt.
51. Arum triphyllum L.
52. Arum triphyllum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 965. 1753
53. Arum triphyllum var. atropurpureum Michx.
54. Arum triphyllum var. atrorubens (Aiton) Dewey ex Alph.Wood
55. Arum triphyllum var. pallescens Sims
56. Arum triphyllum var. virens Michx.
57. Arum triphyllum var. viride Sims
58. Arum triphyllum var. zebrinum Sims
59. Arum vittatum Salisb.

Notes:

A tentatively accepted name in the RHS Horticultural Database.

Place of publication: H. Schott & S. L. Endlicher, Melet. bot. 17. 1832

Name verified on 07-Nov-1996 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 12-Jul-1999

Physical Description

Family Araceae:

Herbs, perennial, wetland or terrestrial, occasionally emergent or floating, [often epiphytic or climbing], usually with milky or watery latex, rarely colored. Rhizomes, corms, or stolons present; rhizomes vertical or horizontal, creeping at or near surface, sometimes branched; corms underground, starchy; stolons at or near surface. Stems absent [sometimes aboveground or aerial]. Cataphylls usually present. Leaves rarely solitary, alternate or clustered; petiole rarely absent, with sheathing base; blade simple or compound [occasionally perforate], elliptic to obovate or spatulate, occasionally sagittate-cordate, larger than 1.5 cm; venation parallel or pinnate- or palmate-netted. Inflorescences spadices, each with 3--900 usually tightly grouped, sessile flowers, subtended by spathe; spathe rarely absent, persistent (sometimes only proximally) or deciduous, variously colored; spadix cylindric or ovoid, various parts occasionally naked or with sterile flowers. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, staminate and pistillate usually on same plants or functionally on different plants, staminate flowers distal to pistillate when unisexual; perianth absent or present; stamens 2--12, distinct or connate in synandria; ovaryies 1, 1--3(--many) -locular, sessile or embedded in spadix; styles 1; stigmas hemispheric, capitate, or discoid [sometimes strongly lobed]. Fruits berries, distinct or connate at maturity. Seeds 1--40(--many) per berry.

Genera 105, species more than 3300 (8 genera, 10 species in the flora; species in 10 additional genera may persist locally within flora area, see talbe 203.1) : nearly worldwide, primarily tropical regions.

Araceae are best characterized by the inflorescence, a fleshy cylindric or ovoid, unbranched spadix subtended or surrounded by a spathe. True spathes are absent in the Nearctic genus Orontium and in the Australian genus Gymnostachys. Other plant families with a compressed spadix-like inflorescence, such as Piperaceae and Cyclanthaceae, either do not have a structure equivalent to a spathe (Piperaceae) or have early-deciduous bracts (Cyclanthaceae) . Plants are usually glabrous, rarely pubescent or spiny (pubescent in Pistia) . Many Araceae exhibit typical monocotyledonous parallel leaf venation, but some genera have net leaf venation more typical of dicotyledons.

Infrafamilial classification of the Araceae is under active study. The only classification of the family to date to utilize modern phylogenetic techniques (S. J. Mayo et al. 1997) recognizes seven subfamilies, of which three are represented in native temperate North American aroid flora: Orontioideae (Orontium, Symplocarpus, Lysichiton) ; Calloideae (Calla) ; and Aroideae (Peltandra, Arisaema, and Pistia) . Acorus, a genus historically included in Araceae, is treated as a separate family in theat flora based on extensive morphologic and chemical evidence that supports its removal from Arales (M. H. Grayum 1987) .

The number of genera of Araceae occurring in temperate North America is low in comparison with other continents, and primitive taxa are disproportionately represented. Orontioideae and Calloideae, which include four of the seven native genera found in the flora area, are the basal clades within Araceae. Plants in these subfamilies possess the primitive states for many characteristics in Araceae and share few derived characteristics with other aroid genera (M. H. Grayum 1990) . The more advanced genera native to the flora area include one genus endemic to eastern North America (Peltandra), a pantropical genus with an uncertain native distribution (Pistia), and a genus clearly Eurasian in origin (Arisaema) .

Araceae contain crystals of calcium oxalate, which are often cited as causing the intense irritation experienced when handling or consuming the raw plant tissue of many genera in the family. This supposition is contradicted by the fact that although irritation generally is not produced by properly cooked plants, the crystals remain after heating. Other compounds must therefore be involved with causing this reaction. Studies of Dieffenbachia demonstrated that a proteolytic enzyme, as well as other compounds, are responsible for the severe irritation caused by this plant and that raphides of calcium oxalate do not play a major role (J. Arditti and E. Rodriguez 1982) . Whether irritation is caused by enzymes or crystals, that aspect of Araceae has resulted in aroid genera being included in many lists of poisonous plants (e.g., K. F. Lampe and M. A. McCann 1985; G. A. Mulligan and D. B. Munro 1990; K. D. Perkins and W. W. Payne 1978) .

Despite the toxic effects of Araceae, species of several genera are cultivated as food plants, mainly as subsistence crops in tropical areas. The major edible Araceae are Colocasia esculenta and several species of Xanthosoma, grown primarily for their corms and sometimes for their leaves. Most North American species of Araceae were historically used by Native Americans, as both food and medicine (T. Plowman 1969) . The family, is currently more valued for its many ornamental species, and is the most important family in North America for indoor foliage plants (T. B. Croat 1994) . Araceae commonly grown as ornamentals in American homes include species of Aglaonema (Chinese-evergreen), Anthurium, Caladium, Dieffenbachia (dumbcane), Epipremnum (golden pothos), Philodendron, Spathiphyllum, Syngonium, and Zantedeschia (calla-lily) .

Plants of some cultivated species of Araceae escape and may persist or naturalize, especially in warmer climates. One of these species, Colocasia esculenta, is widespread enough to warrant full inclusion in the flora, but other introduced species of Araceae are very local in occurrence. Uncommon species represented by herbarium specimens or literature reports as escaped or persisting from cultivation are listed (table 203.1) with distinguishing characteristics and areas of occurrence.^[1]

Genus Arisaema:

Herbs, terrestrial or wetland. Corms [rhizomes] nearly globose. Leaves usually appearing with flowers, 1--2(--3), erect; petiole longer than blade; blade medium to dark green, sometimes glaucous adaxially, palmately or pedately [radiately] divided, not peltate, leaflet elliptic to broadly ovate or oblanceolate, base rounded to obtuse or attenuate, apex obtuse or acute to acuminate; primary lateral veins of each leaflet pinnate. Inflorescences: peduncle erect, nearly equal to leaves [to very short], apex not swollen; spathe variously colored or striped, distal part open at maturity, exposing tip to 1/2 or more of spadix appendage; spadix ± cylindric, surmounted by sterile appendage of variable shape. Flowers unisexual, staminate and pistillate on same or different spadix; pistillate flowers congested; staminate flowers usually scattered, distal to pistillate flowers when both are present; perianth absent. Fruits not embedded in spadix, glossy orange to bright red. Seeds 1--6, mucilage sometimes present (not present in Arisaema triphyllum). x = 13, 14.

Species ca. 170: mostly temperate Asia, also North America, Mexico, and Africa.

The phenomenon of sex changing in Arisaema has been investigated by many authors (e.g., P. Bierzychudek 1982; K. Clay 1993; E. Kinoshita 1986). Smaller plants produce only staminate flowers, and larger plants produce either staminate and pistillate flowers simultaneously or pistillate flowers only. Changes in gender expression are directly correlated with size and are also influenced by the environment in which the plants are growing. Reversions in phenotypic gender have been experimentally induced by such factors as removing leaf area or changing soil nutrient levels.

Although some species are cultivated as ornamentals, the genus is not of great economic importance.^[2]

Species Arisaema triphyllum:

Although these morphological forms may be recognizable in the field, distinguishing these differences in herbarium specimens is often difficult, and there is much overlap occurs in expression of the characteristics supposedly defining infraspecific taxa. Numerous intermediate forms exist, including putative hybrid populations be tween the subspecies with 2n = 42 (D. G. Huttleston 1949, 1953). Given these problems and the sympatric ranges of the "subspecies" recognized by previous workers, A. triphyllum is treated here as one highly variable species. [source]

In addition to the above variability within the Arisaema triphyllum complex, putative hybrid populations between A. triphyllum and A. dracontium also occur naturally (L. L. Sanders and C. J. Burk 1992). These plants do not produce mature fruits but do reproduce vegetatively. [source]

Habit: Forb/herb • Growth Form: Rhizomatous • Shape and Orientation: Erect

Flowers: Bloom Period: April, May. • Flower Color: black, dark purple, green, maroon, pale green • Flower Conspicuous: Yes

Seeds: Seed per Pound: 110000 • Seed Spread Rate: Slow • Seedling Vigor: Low • Fruit/Seed Abundance: Low • Fruit/Seed Color: Red • Fruit/Seed Conspicuous: Yes • Cold Stratification Required: No

Foliage: Foliage Color: Green • Foliage Porosity Summer: Dense • Foliage Porosity Winter: Dense • Foliage Texture: Coarse • Fall Conspicuous: Yes • Leaf Retention: No

Images:

Distribution

Range and Population

Eastern Canada to Minnesota, south to Louisiana and Florida.

Native: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Habitat

 

Reproduction

Duration: Perennial • Coppice Potential: No • Progagated by Bulbs: No • Propagated by Bare Root: Yes • Propagated by Container: Yes • Propagated by Corms: Yes • Propagated by Cuttings: No • Propagated by Seed: Yes • Propagated by Sod: No • Propagated by Sprigs: No • Propagated by Tubers: No • Fruit/Seed Period Begin: Summer • Fruit/Seed Period End: Summer • Fruit/Seed Persistence: Yes • Fruit/Seed Persistence: Yes

Growth

Culture: Space 9-12" apart.

Soil: Adapted to Medium Textured: Adapted to Medium Textured Soils • Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils: Yes • Anaerobic Tolerance: Medium • Salinity Tolerance: None • CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium • Minimum pH: 6.1 • Maximum pH: 7.8 • Fertility Requirement: High

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Light Shade. • Shade Tolerance: Tolerant

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: Low • Minimum Precipitation: 34 • Maximum Precipitation: 50 • Moisture Use: High

Temperature: Minimum Temperature (F): -18 • Minimum Frost Free Days: 175 • Cold Hardiness: 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. (map)

Similar Species

Members of the genus Arisaema:

There are approximately 466 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: A. 'Siang' · A. abei · A. addis-ababense · A. aequinoctiale · A. aff. erubescens · A. aff. jacquemontii · A. aff. propinquum · A. aff. ringens · A. aff. takedae · A. aff. verrucosum · A. agasthyanum · A. akiense · A. album · A. amurense (Asian Green Dragon) · A. amurense 'Green Form' (Asian Green Dragon) · A. amurense dark-flowered · A. amurense f. purpureum · A. amurense f. violaceum · A. amurense green-flowered · A. amurense robusta · A. amurense robustum · A. amurense serratum var. serratum f. serratum · A. angustatum · A. angustatum var. amurense · A. angustatum var. peninsulae f. variegatum · A. angustatum var. serratum · A. angustifoliatum · A. angustina · A. anomalum · A. aprile · A. arisanense · A. asperatum (Jack in the Pulpit) · A. atropurpurea · A. atrorubens f. pallascens · A. atrorubens f. pallescens · A. atrorubens f. viride · A. atrorubens f. zebrinum · A. auriculatum (Cobra Lily) · A. auriculatum var. hungyaense · A. austro-yunnanense · A. austroyunnanense · A. averyanovii · A. balansae · A. bannaense · A. barbatum · A. barnesii · A. bathycoleum (Jack in the Pulpit) · A. black-spathed · A. bogneri · A. bonatianum · A. bottae · A. brachyspatha · A. brachyspathum · A. brevipes (Jack in the Pulpit) · A. brevispathum · A. burmaense · A. calcareum · A. candidissimum (Chinese Jack-In-The-Pulpit) · A. candidissimum 'White Flower Form' (Chinese Jack-In-The-Pulpit) · A. candidissimum green-flowered · A. candidissimum pink-flowered · A. candidissimum white-flowered · A. candidissimum yellow-flowered · A. cangshanense · A. cf. consanguineum · A. chumponense · A. ciliatum (Arisaema) · A. ciliatum var. ciliatum · A. ciliatum var. liubaense · A. clavatum (Jack in the Pulpit) · A. cochleatum · A. coenobialis · A. comutum · A. concinnum · A. concinnum 'Sikkim' · A. concinnum 'Yellow Spathe Form' (Chinese Cobra Lily) · A. concinum · A. condaoense · A. consanguinea · A. consanguineum (Jack in the Pulpit) · A. consanguineum 'J. Balis' · A. consanguineum 'Qinling' · A. consanguineum bicolour · A. consanguineum consanguineum · A. consanguineum kelung-insulare · A. consanguineum marble-leaf red · A. consanguineum silver-centred-leaf red · A. consanguineum subsp. kelung-insularis · A. constrictum · A. cordatum · A. costatum (Cobra Lily) · A. cretacea · A. cucullatum · A. dahaiense (Cobra Lily) · A. danzhuense · A. daochengense · A. decipiens · A. delavayi · A. dilatatum (Jack in the Pulpit) · A. dilatatum yunnanense

Bibliography

• Bown, D. 1988. Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family. Portland.
• Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas. (F Tex)
• Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs. (CRC MedHerbs ed2)
• Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage. (Zander ed13)
• FNA Editorial Committee. 1993–. Flora of North America. (F NAmer)
• Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2. (Glea Cron ed2)
• Govaerts, R. & D. G. Frodin. 2002. World checklist and bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae). (L Araceae)
• Grayum, M. H. 1990. Evolution and phylogeny of the Araceae. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 77: 628--697.
• Gusman, G. & L. Gusman. 2003. The genus Arisaema. (Gen Arisaema)
• Hara, H. Flora of eastern Himalaya. v. 1:1966, v. 2:1971, v. 3:1975 (F EHimal) 2:326.
• Huttleston, D. G. 1953. A Taxonomic Study of the Temperate North American Araceae. Ph.D. dissertation. Cornell University.
• Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. (L US Can ed2) [with four subspecies].
• Lampe, K. F. and M. A. McCann. 1985. AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants. Chicago.
• Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. (Hortus 3)
• Mayo, S. J., J. Bogner, and P. C. Boyce. 1997. The Genera of Araceae. 1 vol. + laser disc. [London.]
• McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains. (F GPlains)
• McGuffin, M. et al., eds. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2. (Herbs Commerce ed2)
• Mulligan, G. A. and D. B. Munro. 1990. Poisonous Plants of Canada. Ottawa, Canada.
• Munro, D. B. Canadian poisonous plants information system - on-line resource. (Can Poison Pl)
• Murata, J. 1990. Present status of Arisaema systematics. Bot. Mag. 103: 371--382.
• Ownbey, G. B. & T. Morley. 1991. Vascular plants of Minnesota: a checklist and atlas. (L Minn)
• Perkins, K. D. and W. W. Payne. 1978. Guide to the Poisonous and Irritant Plants of Florida. Gainesville, Florida.
• Plowman, T. 1969. Folk uses of New World aroids. Econ. Bot. 23: 97--122.
• Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas. (F Carolin)
• Scoggan, H. J. 1978–1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol. (F Canada) [= A. atrorubens].
• Thompson, S. A. 1995. Systematics and Biology of the Araceae and Acoraceae of Temperate North America. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Illinois. Add Urbana-Champaign.
• Treiber, M. 1980. Biosystematics of the Arisaema triphyllum Complex. Ph.D. dissertation. University of North Carolina.
• Walters, S. M. et al., eds. 1986–. European garden flora. (Eur Gard F)
• Wilson, K. A. 1960. The genera of the Arales in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 41: 47--72.

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Notes

Contributors:

• "Arisaema triphyllum". in Flora of North America Vol. 22 Page 140. Published by Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 and ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2007. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed March 28, 2007.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 04, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 4 providers.
• Light, Kris. East Tennessee Wildflowers
• The International Plant Names Index. Accessed Jan 19, 2007.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Plant Characteristics Database. Accessed April 17, 2006.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 26, 2008)
• World Checklist of Selected Plant FamiliesFeb 2, 2006.

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 04, 2008:

• Canadian Museum of Nature: Canadian Museum of Nature Herbarium
• Comisión nacional para el conocimiento y uso de la biodiversidad: Herbario del Instituto de Ecología, A.C., México (IE-XAL)
• Missouri Botanical Garden
• University of Alabama Biodiversity and Systematics: Herbarium (UNA)
• USDA PLANTS: USDA PLANTS Database

Identifiers:

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 42525
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 246147
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:299360-2
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PMARA04040
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: ARTR
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 22320

Footnotes:

1. Sue A. Thompson "Araceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 22. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
2. "Arisaema". in Flora of North America Vol. 22. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.