Arisaema are coming

[George R. Stilwell, Jr.]

> Anyway, just not understanding why all the Asian
>species and slightly different forms deserve species
>status and the Americans don't. Stewardsonii? Still 2
>weeks until its awakening.
> Aaron Floden

Aaron,

There are lumpers and there ate splitters - - - - but seriously,
Huttleston's publications set forth the ssp., f., and v. for A. triphyllum.

Huttleston, D.C. 1984. The North American Species of Arisaema .....,
Aroideana 7(1):, 15-17

Huttleston, D.C. 1953. A taxonomic study of the temperate North American
Araceae. A thesis to the faculty of Cornell Univ. for the Degree of Doctor
of Philosophy.

Huttleston, D.C. 1949. The three subspecies of Arisaema triphyllum.
Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 76:407-413.

Huttleston, D.C. 1948. A taxonomic study of the genus Arisaema in North
America. A thesis to the faculty of Cornell Univ. for the Degree of Master
of Sci.

But, that was long ago. However, Treiber dis extensive work on A. triphyllum
but failed to find sufficient evidence to suggest changes in Huttleston's
work.

Treiber, M. 1980, Biosystematics of the Arisaema triphyllum  complex,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (copies are available from
University Microfilms)

Treiber, M. 1979. Phenological studies in the Arisaema triphyllum (L.)
Schott complex (Araceae). BSA Abstracts, Misc. Series, pub. 157.

Treiber, M. 1978. Ploidy level and stomatal guard cell length in the
Arisaema triphyllum complex sensu Huttleston (Araceae). BSA Abstracts,
Misc. Series, Pub. 156.

Treiber, M. 1977. Plant sex in the Arisaema triphyllum complex sensu
Huttleston (Araceae). ASB Bull. 24: 90.

As to blooming times, they are not reliable taxonomic characters. For example,
I have 3 clones of A. tortuosum planted here. One arises in early May, one
in June, and one in mid August. By the time the latter arises the early one
is long finished blooming and is forming seed. Yet they are all A.
tortuosum without a doubt.

There has been much discussion about quinatum and Stewardsonii in the
past (see the archives), but again, one must find convincing, stable,
characters on which to base a change in taxonomic status. The major
investigators have been unable to do this so far.

Ray