Arisaema hybrids

[Barry Yinger]

Quite a few wild "species" (remember that this is strictly a human
concept, not a plant concept) hybridize freely in the wild in disturbed
habitats and resegregate as "species" in settled, stable habitats.
Oaks and violets commonly do this, along with at least certain species
in many other genera.  This intergressive hybridization and subsequent
segregation to "species" recognized by humans can be a device to keep
species vigorous through the introduction of new genetic information.
Anyone who doubts the importance of this should examine the phenotypes
on display in the British royal family.

Keep in mind too that many "species" are polymorphic, that is, they
appear in quite a wide variety of forms that don't make sense to
humans, although the plants seem to figure it out.  Some groups of
arisaema ("serratum" for example) don't make sense to us because our
species concept reflects our often desperate human need for clear and
absolute certainty in separating and labeling different kinds of things
(not to mention people).  It is impossible to understand certain genera
such as Asarum without a great sense of inner calm and a willingness to
try to see this through the "eyes" of the plants.  I think that all
taxonomists should be required to spend two years in a Buddhist
monastery, preferably in Thailand where they will have to beg for their
food.

Barry Yinger, USDA Zone 6, Pennsylvania, USA