Arisarum sp.

[annew]

I've had this plant, obtained as Arisarum sp, for a couple of years and have never noticed it flower before. Can anyone ID it?

[Maggi Young]

What cute little chaps, Anne. Unless they are mice with their tails cut off, I think they are Arisarum vulgare.  Varies a good deal in spathe colour, from all paler/greeny to these "proper" dark and light two tone chaps. Yours are being very shy by flowering on such short stems, which is why I find them so cute.

[annew]

Thanks, Maggi the pix on Google do look a bit like it. I've also had a message from a member suggesting A. sinorrhinum, and this seems also to be a good possibility.

[Maggi Young]

I don't know A. sinorrhinum, I'll have to get the books out!

[Maggi Young]

I can only find a reference to A. siMorrhinum as a synonym of A. vulgare ssp. exertum, but, online, i found this site for aroids, with this page, with a key, which may help, Anne.
http://www.aroid.org/genera/arisarum/

[DaveM]

Anne, I agree with Maggi that these are cute little chappies, but the idea that one of the species resembles mice with their posteriors in the air seems frankly bizarre  . There's  a good description of all three species of Arisarum in John Bryan's monster tome on bulbs.

I grow A proboscideum and have seen A vulgare on numerous occasions in the wild. It's definitely not the latter because in vulgare the flowers are held above the leaves. The diagnostic features for A simorrhinum are that the spadix has a globular tip (no rude comments please out there) and that the leaf petioles have spots and lines on them. Can't answer the first from your photo but the second are present. I'll bet that this is the species you've got (unless somebody has found a new one).
Forgive me for this reply if you've already sorted this out via Maggi's suggested website.
All the best
Dave

[annew]

Thanks, Dave, I'll check out the spadix tomorrow.

[Maggi Young]

David, surely Francis must be aware of the mouses "living in " Arisarum proboscideum ?
(and if not, why not?)

I agree with the globular tip stuff, etc, BUT, I still think that early season flowers like these would be below the foliage on A. vulgare.

[DaveM]

Maggi, the mice wouldn't survive for more than a few seconds around our place in that position     The only mice we see are the pressies brought in by my wife's **** cats!!! These monsters are the most persistent killing machines I've ever heard of. But there are occasions when dead morsels are replaced by very lively little blighters which are dropped at our feet by said cat as if to say " now catch that...". The race is then on to catch and despatch the mouse before it takes up residence under the fridge or wherever seems safe - they then survive for some time, mostly eating plastic cables such as that for the telephone....... Fortunately, Giz's reactions are fast (better than the England cricket team it seems), whilst Francis looks on laughing at the antics ..........

[fermi de Sousa]

So, Dave, you admit to having Weapons of Mouse Destruction!
cheers
fermi

[DaveM]

Oh dear.........   .......
But, it's true.....

I don't believe any of the stuff that's said about your own cats not digging little pits within their own territory. If there's nice dry top dressing and they feel the urge, then they dig and fill!!!!

On one occasion I saw one of them trying to dig a hole in the lawn!!!! Despite my urge to hose the cat down (or worse), I was pursuaded to watch and it turned out that the cat had spotted a mole about to break surface.... the mole was despatched by said cat. . Several weeks later, I found another dead mole on the lawn....

[Maggi Young]

STILL giggling about the weapons of mouse destruction!!

[annew]

Here are close ups of the flower and leaf stalks. It would seem from the key that it is indeed A. simorrhinum.

[annew]

Forgot to say, the grid is 1cm squares. Thanks for your help everybody!

[Maggi Young]

Super clear pix, Anne, thanks.