Arum colchicum?

From: Ellen Hornig <hornig at Oswego.EDU> on 1997.01.22 at 03:41:55(205) Peter Boyce, are you there? I just got a seed list from Josef Jurasek (Czech Republic), and he lists Arum colchicum (coll. Russia, western area of the Caucasus, 1300m; 10cm high, woodlander). In Boyce's monograph there is no mention that I can find of any such thing. Considering the size (10cm), I'm wondering whether this is actually a biarum. Does anyone know? +More Ellen Hornig

From: "Peter Boyce" <P.Boyce at lion.rbgkew.org.uk> on 1997.01.22 at 14:37:56(209) Dear Ellen Spotted your email regarding Arum colchicum. This name does not appear in the Arum book because it doesn't exist! From the locality I would guess that it will be one of three species: A. orientale, A. maculatum or A. italicum. In NE Turkey there are populations of a very small Arum that seems close to either A. maculatum or A. italicum ssp. amoenum with definite leanings towards the latter and I would guess from the desciption that Arum colchicum is part of this group. Biarum does not occur in Russia. The furthest north Biarum reaches is Corfu/Albania. Another possibility might have been one of the northerly Emnium species (e.g. E. koenenianum) but, if it was, then it would be a new record for the genus in Russia. Pete +More Peter Boyce Herbarium Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Richmond Surrey TW9 3AE U.K. p.boyce@lion.rbgkew.org.uk

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