A. dracontium

[McClements, Jim]

AEG'rs

I have had flowering A. dracontium for several years, but up to now only male
plants. This year I have one whose inflorescence seems equally divided
between male and female flowers, and appears to be in the seed business (too
soon to be sure).

I know that A. tortuosum, A. flavum and a few other Asiatic species usually
remain monoeicious after they become mature, but I didn't realize that A.
dracontium does. Or is this just a transitional year from male to female for
this plant? I had always just assumed that it acted like A. triphyllum, and
was "either/or".

There seems to be a paucity of information about this species in my stack
of literature, although  in his article "Aristocratic Arisaemas", The Garden,
Jan.1992, Christopher Grey-Wilson says that A. dracontium includes both male
and female "florets" on the same spadix.

Anyone have any additional info or references?

Jim McClements, Dover, DE