A. jacquemontii

[P.Bruggeman]

Anne,
I have made my identifications partly by the remains of the leaves
(nepenthoides) and partly by my knowledge of the shape of the seedheads I
have seen in cultivation (intermedium, griffithii-group). Propinquum and
it's relatives have very unusual orange berries that are distinctly upward
facing but because I have found seedheads like that in the Phalut-area they
could belong to propinquum as well as ostiolatum or basically any member of
the griffithii-group. Tortuosum was still partly in leaf thus easily
recognisable (and the seedheads are huge!) but the seedheads of speciosum
were just starting to change color so I could only identify them by the fact
that they had rhizomes and a relatively short peduncle. I identified
concinnum by the fact that some specimen had 2 leaves and the presence of
stolon-scars on the tubers. I also found the distribution data in the Flora
of Bhutan (& Sikkim) by Noltie very useful. I knew which species I could
encounter and I also was able to exclude some species with the data.
Although relying on distribution data is tricky, using the data in
combination with remaining parts of the plant/or spadix makes me belief that
I have identified the seedheads I have found correctly. You probably have
noticed too that on the seedheads of jacquemontii the spathe still partly
encloses the infrutescence. OK, it's dead and brown but the shape was still
clearly visible. If I have been wrong with my identifications please let me
know in 4 years time when the first plants grown from the seed I collected
start to flower.

Pascal

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: Arisaema Enthusiast Group (AEG) Discussion List (and other hardy
Aroids) [mailto:ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL]Namens Anne Chambers
Verzonden: woensdag 15 november 2000 20:55
Aan: ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL
Onderwerp: A. jacquemontii


Pascal - interested to hear your account of arisaemas in western Sikkim.
In northern Nepal at 13,500 feet (4115 m) there was no cloud cover and
as soon as the sun went behind the mountains - about 3-4 pm - the
temperature dropped dramatically and nights were very frosty,
temperatures of -5 to -10 degs C, perhaps more severe. Langtang is a
comparatively arid rain-shadow area so I was pleasantly surprised to see
jacquemontii.
At altitudes below 6000 ft (1830 m) where it's hot and humid in the
gorge there were plants of concinnum and consanguineum definitely
identifiable by the leaf remains, but I couldn't find any leaves on a
few seeds heads I found in the intermediate zone.

Anne
--
Anne Chambers