From: "Peter Boyce" <P.Boyce at lion.rbgkew.org.uk> on 1997.02.20 at 14:10:58(401)
Dear Folks
There seems to be much confusion concerning Arisaema consanguineum,
both apropos it's name and appearance. Now, I'm by no means au fait
with all the complexities of temperate Asian Araceae but, over the past
couple of years, I've been tring to get to grips with A. consanguineum
and its kin and now feel that it's time to make available the data of
which I feel confident.
Well, to kick off, the bad news is that the correct name for this plant,
by priority, is Arisaema erubescens (Wall.) Schott. It is identifiable
(sensu latissimo) by the following combination of characters:
One or two leaves with few to many radiate very narrow to rather
broad acute- to long acuminate-tipped leaflets. Inflorescences with
a smooth auricles and a short to long caudal appendage, a smooth-tipped
stipitate spadix with the expanded part tapering basally and the stipe with
few to many stout sterile structures, some of which may be reduced and
fused to the base and lower portion of the expanded part of the appendix.
Spathe colour varies from dingy greenish brown (many Chinese clones) to
strikingly dark red and white striped (Thai, Taiwanese and Philippines).
Arisaema ciliatum is very similar (as are A. taiwanense, A. echinatum
and any number of Chinese species with species epithets ending
-shanense). Arisaema ciliatum has spathe limb auricles furnished with
distinct, rather stout, marginal cilia and a spadix with a truncate
to cochleate (stipe 'embedded' into the expanded part, the lower
margins of the appendix thus appearing to 'hang' over the stipe apex).
The few clones in cultivation are are highly coloured with deep
red-purple and greenish white spathes.
Arisaema taiwanense has a spongy tip to the spadix appendiux and
very distinctly marked pseudostem/petioles (caramel, cream and
olive-green).
Arisaema echinatum has the spadix appendix tip with prominent, rather
sharp, denticules.
Hope this helps
Pete
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