Arisaema triphyllum Key

Dr. D. C. Huttleston

1. Leaves usually glaucous beneath when mature; lateral leaflets strongly to moderately oblique or lobed; growing in moist, not wet, ground; flange at top of spathe tube only slightly reflexed, not rolled under.

2. Spathe blade broadly lanceolate to broadly ovate with acute to acuminate tip, usually marked with purple; spadix-appendix more than 3 mm (7/64") in diameter, straight, usually clavate.

A. triphyllum ssp. triphyllum

2. Spathe blade oval with apiculate tip, unmarked green; spadix-appendix 2 mm (5/64")or less in diameter, cylindric, bent.

A. triphyllum ssp. quinatum

1. Leaves never glaucous beneath; lateral leaflets slightly to moderately oblique, very rarely lobed; growing in swampy ground; flange at top of the spathe tube strongly reflexed and inrolled.

3. Spathe tube not strongly fluted; inside of spathe wholly purple or wholly green, rarely striped.

A. triphyllum ssp. pusillum

3. Spathe tube strongly fluted; inside of spathe blade green with purple stripes mostly toward the base, rarely wholly green, never wholly purple.

A. triphyllum ssp. stewardsonii

• acuminate - narrow pointed
• acute - pointed
• apiculate - abruptly terminated by a small point
• clavate - club shaped
• glaucous - covered with a waxy bloom, a grayish powdery coating, like a cabbage leaf
• lanceolate - lance shaped
• ovate - broad with rounded tip