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  Re: Out-of-print Arisaema book
From: Jmh98law at aol.com on 1999.01.16 at 17:20:55(2911)
Thanks, Ray for your very comprehensive answer to my query about a book on
Arisaema. Because we're usually up to our "necks" in snow in the winter, [280
inches in the winter of 1997-98, a record since they began to keep track about
100 years ago], I tend to read many books on plant culture and garden design
then. So, now on to the search for a copy of Udai Pradhan 's book. That is,
I now recognize from the author's name, the title that I came across
*somewhere* in my research last week. But then it slipped away.

Identification of my "Plant Stalker" [I was "stalked" by a plant last week]:

A wonderful plant followed me home last Wednesday. Surely you will appreciate
how *dangerous* it is for what Meijer Thrifty Acres *always* IDs as "a
Tropical Plant" even to go from the store door to a warmish car on a day when
our outside temperature was O Fahrenheit with -30 wind chill factor! [Lots of
large leaf bags --- 3 layers from the top and bottom, and a helpful bagger.]
After walking by it for weeks, hungering for it, I just decided to take my
chances. [PS the transport was successful.]

I think it is a Dieffenbachia of some species. [This is just a guess.] I
explored the IAS website without finding anything that looked like it, but the
description of Dieffenbachia seemed to fit. From the level of the growing
medium to the top of the plant is about 1 m. The four stems [stalks]? in the
16" pot are an almost waxy white/ivory color, very fleshy, and about 36 cm
where the leaf begins. The stems grow upward in a layered manner, reminding
me somewhat of Bok Choy in growth habit. The leaves are as large as 40 to 44
cm and shaped similarly to a large Peace Lily [sorry, do NOT know the genus of
that, though I'm sure you do. Peace lilies are the first plant I successful
grew. They are almost impossible to kill!] The leaves of this new plant are
spectacularly beautiful --- shiny forest green on the margins and a delightful
dull pewter in the center. The white/ivory from the stem traces into the
central veining on the leaf, and just a little more on the lateral veins.

This plant is *so beautiful* that two customers in Meijer came up to touch it
to see if it is REAL!

There are presently 6 inflorescences. They arise from the apex of the leaf,
sometimes 2 or 3 together. The stems of the flowers are about 10 cm long, as
is the present length of the flowers. The flowers seem immature right now as
the spathe has not opened much. The spadex is white/ivory with a tinge of pale
green, extending to the tip of the spathe. The spathe itself, just now, is
colored a pale green. Whether that will change as the flower matures is
unknown to me.

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