Aroids (the family Araceae)

[Pascal B]

Speciosum var. mirabile flowers unusually late this year but worth the wait. This var. is easily distinguished from normal speciosum by the rough, verrucose appendix. In normal speciosum this is smooth.The other one is one of the monstrosities of the Arisaema world with a highly inflated spathe and a spadix appendix in desperate need of one of those blue pills.... I am still not sure about the status of this one, definitely a member of section Franchetiana but not sure if it can be placed in one of the known species, it could be an undescribed one.

[TheOnionMan]

Pascal, those are truly bizarre, yet fantastic... the genus Arisaema seems to have a sense of humor.

A couple months ago I received a plant of Pinellia cordata 'Yamazakii' (and yes, I'm familiar with the warning about Pinellia spreading), a form I had before but lost.  When given to me, the pretty foliage was dark green and veined whitish.  Kept it potted for a few weeks, then divided it in half, gave one to a friend, and planted mine out... it instantly went dormant.  About a week ago, it resurfaced and started reblooming.  The tiny spathed flowers are scented just like bubblegum!

[Pascal B]

Pascal, those are truly bizarre, yet fantastic... the genus Arisaema seems to have a sense of humor.

A couple months ago I received a plant of Pinellia cordata 'Yamazakii' (and yes, I'm familiar with the warning about Pinellia spreading), a form I had before but lost.  When given to me, the pretty foliage was dark green and veined whitish.  Kept it potted for a few weeks, then divided it in half, gave one to a friend, and planted mine out... it instantly went dormant.  About a week ago, it resurfaced and started reblooming.  The tiny spathed flowers are scented just like bubblegum!

Mark,

From what I know the proper cultivar name should be "Yamazaki" with only one "i" at the end. If you have the right one it should be a much bigger form than the usual cordata, the plants I grow of this cultivar have leaves that reach a length of some 25 cm. It is presumed to be a polyploïd but not often the right plant is cultivated, usually it is the smaller normal form that hides under that name. The pineapple smell of the flowers (at least, that's what I think it smells like) is indeed a nice attribute. I believe Ellen Hornig was one of the first to introduce this cultivar into cultivation.

But yes, Pinellia can become a bit weedy. I have several seedlings popping up of the purple form of tripartita from discarded soil of previous years. The ones that produce viable seeds (tripartita and pedatisecta) can be a real menace. Ternata and cordata multiply by bulblets and are easier to control, peltata is the least invasive but I can think of worse weeds....

[TheOnionMan]

Mark,

From what I know the proper cultivar name should be "Yamazaki" with only one "i" at the end. If you have the right one it should be a much bigger form than the usual cordata, the plants I grow of this cultivar have leaves that reach a length of some 25 cm. It is presumed to be a polyploïd but not often the right plant is cultivated, usually it is the smaller normal form that hides under that name. The pineapple smell of the flowers (at least, that's what I think it smells like) is indeed a nice attribute. I believe Ellen Hornig was one of the first to introduce this cultivar into cultivation.

But yes, Pinellia can become a bit weedy. I have several seedlings popping up of the purple form of tripartita from discarded soil of previous years. The ones that produce viable seeds (tripartita and pedatisecta) can be a real menace. Ternata and cordata multiply by bulblets and are easier to control, peltata is the least invasive but I can think of worse weeds....

Thanks Pascal... I will check in with the Roy Herald (not Ray) to see what he can tell me about this plant, he was my source.  Could it also be that this is a young immature plant?  But probably as you suggest, it's a small form, and who knows the real name.  I like that these flower late in the season.  I also have tripartita or pedatisecta... too lazy at the moment to go run outside and verify the label, so far after several years it hasn't gotten out of hand, it is growing in a rather dry shady spot.  But I'll keep an eye on these 

[Pascal B]

 I also have tripartita or pedatisecta... too lazy at the moment to go run outside and verify the label, so far after several years it hasn't gotten out of hand, it is growing in a rather dry shady spot.  But I'll keep an eye on these  

And you call yourself an amateur botanist?! Grin.....
Tripartita and pedatisecta, how many clues do you want your plant names to have? You don't need to check labels to know which of the 2 you have.....

PS. Tripartita I have never found to have a scent, pedatisecta has a strong scent that is reminiscent of super glue (toluene). Pinellia peltata is an introduction from Jim Waddick and is stoloniferous but I have not tested it yet for winter hardiness so don't know how it behaves in the open garden.

[TheOnionMan]

 I also have tripartita or pedatisecta... too lazy at the moment to go run outside and verify the label, so far after several years it hasn't gotten out of hand, it is growing in a rather dry shady spot.  But I'll keep an eye on these  

And you call yourself an amateur botanist?! Grin.....
Tripartita and pedatisecta, how many clues do you want your plant names to have? You don't need to check labels to know which of the 2 you have.....

I'm being lazy, not wanting to go out in the heat again, but since you shamed me into doing so, I'll put on my running shoes   I'm pretty sure I have pedatisecta... I just don't pay much attention to this plant.  Be right back

[TheOnionMan]

Just checked, it is P. pedatisecta.  I walked over to the spot intending to take a picture, I saw the plant flowering about a month ago, but it's an area I can barely reach with a hose thus rarely gets watered, and the plants are nowhere to be found above ground now.  Also noticed lots of tunneling, terrible problem with moles this year, surprising given that it is such a hot and dry year.

[Pascal B]

Well, you might consider moving it to a different place in your garden as it can flower the entire season if given sufficient moisture like all other Pinellia in cultivation. And it is relatively easy to take off the seedheads after flowering to avoid it spreading.

For those interested, according to the upcoming FOC there should be 9 Pinellia species: P. pedatisecta, P. tripartita, P. yaoluopingensis, P. ternata, P. peltata, P. polyphylla, P. integrifolia, P. cordata and P. fujianensis.

That last species "may" be the cordata type plant with green leaves and purplish flowers that is also in cultivation but I haven't been able to make a copy of the publication yet.

[kiwi]

First Arum flowering for spring here in my garden is Arum creticum.
Arisaema are all stiring in their pots, and other Arums are starting to bud.

[ThomasB]

A tiny Typhonium is flowering for me. The whole flower above ground is just 10 cm high - no scent detectable. 
I got it without a species name as 'Typhonium sp. Thailand'. Does anyone have an idea about this species?

[Pascal B]

To be sure a picture of the naughty bits is needed but your plant is most likely Typhonium varians, one of the few species that can also have highly spotted leaves.

[Hans A.]

This morning a terrible stench nearly knocked me down when I went to the backyard - thought my neighbours who make a construction work had a serious problem with their sewage system, but quickly I found out the stench was not their fault.
It was just the first flower of a seedling of Arum pictum. Seems more beautiful the specimen more it smells....

[BULBISSIME]

beautifull Hans, earlier than in Corsica !
Is it the plant from mallorca ?

[Hans A.]

Hi Fred,

yes, this are seedlings of a very fine population from Mallorca. 
A few years ago I collected seeds of this species without seeing the leaves, happy about the  few resulting plants I visited the same location last year to have a further look:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3373.msg113023#msg113023

More common are less marked leaves as Thomas showed here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2610.msg60782#msg60782

This plants are still in my seedling area - so watered, those in the garden are still completly dormant.

[Alex]

From today - Biarum ditschianum