Arisaema triphyllum

[Mellard, David]

In the case of a. triphyllum, size matters over color.  Small flowers on
short stems tend to be male, large flowers on tall stems tend to be female.
Thank heavens this is not true for humans <grin>

David
Atlanta

-----Original Message-----
From: Ellen Hornig [mailto:hornig at OSWEGO.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2001 1:23 PM
To: ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL
Subject: Re: Arisaema triphyllum


On Wed, 7 Nov 2001, Petra Schmidt wrote:

> Can anyone verify that spathe color in Arisaema triphyllum is an
indication
> of sex?  Meaning, is the greenish spathe color associated with maleness
and
> the purplish color indicative of female?
>
I don't think so.  I grow hundreds, and have all-green females as well as
males....ditto deep purples of both sexes (based on seedhead production -
I must admit I haven't pried deeply into the private - um - lives of the
flowers).  The thought that the sexes were distinguished by color has
certainly never suggested itself to me.  I think it's just a very variable
species.

Ellen

Ellen Hornig
Seneca Hill Perennials