A. triphyllum variants in the woods

[Rand Nicholson]

>Hello to all Arisaema enthusiasts,
>
>I have been walking in the woods over the last two or three weeks
>observing the spring wildflowers in bloom including many, many Arisaema
>triphyllum, one of the commonest ones around here. The variation in the
>flower color and size have always been amazing and bewildering to me,
>but this year I have been observing the variations in color of the
>spathe and spadix as well as the varying length of the overhanging tip
>of the spathe in more detail. The combinations I list below are what I
>have found so far here in Southeastern Pennsylvania (Berks & Lancaster
>Counties) and they seem to be almost randomly distributed in the woods
>except for one unusual form I will elaborate on later.
>

>Color type 4) (Theoretical I haven't found one yet, maybe it doesn't
>exist because of the order of pigmentation in the developing plants.)
>(PG) Purple spadix and green spathe.
>

>
>Mike Slater

Hi Mike:

Colour type four seems familiar to me. I wish I had taken pictures last
year; I know that I have a few green spathe variations. My triphyllums are
just breaking the soil at this time (a rough and rude spring up here in
Maritime Canada), but I will keep an eye out for this type.

Kind Regards,

Rand

Rand Nicholson (writserv at nbnet.nb.ca)
250 Somerset St.
Saint John, NB
Canada
E2K 2Y3