Two observations

[Jim McClements, Dover, DE z6]

I'd be interested if anyone can confirm these two observations:

1. I have A. rhizomatum emerging at the moment. I think that I heard last
year that it is a late emerger (to put it mildly!), but it is not only late,
it is the slowest arisaema that I've ever seen! It's been coming up for at
least two weeks, and is just showing the tip of the spathe. It promises to be
very attractive, so in another month or two, when it finally is fully up,
I'll try to get some photos.

2. I know that some others got seeds from T. Nakayama last spring, including
two forms of A. ringens. Both of these are extremely robust growers, with
almost 100% germination, huge leaflets (some at least 5 cm long) and (having
just unpotted them for refrigeration) equally huge tubers for one-"year"
seedlings, some almost 2 cm in diameter. These have had nothing unusual from
me, just the usual detergent wash, germination in paper towels and growing on
in wet turface under lights with small amounts of fertilizer in the water. Is
there such a thing as an octoploid A. ringens?!

Jim McClements