Jack In The Pulpit

Himalaya (Nepal, Sikkim).

1900-2600 m

Flowering from May to July.

Arisaema erubescens is close relative of Arisaema undulatum, but differs from the latter in its appendix clavate or cylindric (vs. fusiform), base with subulate neuters in both female and male spadix (vs. attenuate toward apex and base).

Arisaema erubescens is very widely distributed in China ex except Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, N and NE India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim and N Thailand.

Tuber depressed globose, 2-6 cm in diameter. Cataphylls 2-3, reddish with black, dark brown spots and whitish dots. Petiole and peduncle deep green with brownish or whitish longitudinal or transverse irregular spots. Leaf 1-2. Petiole, 40-120 cm long, basal 20-50 cm sheathing. Leaf blade radiate, leaflets 8-14, oblanceolate-elliptic, 24-26 cm long, 4-6 cm wide, acuminate with a short filiform tail 1-6 cm long at apex, long narrowed to base, sessile. Peduncle shorter than petiole 25-80 cm long, excelling from sheath 15-20 cm. Spate tube cylindrical, dusty green outside, purple with greenish stripes in side, slightly recurved at mouth; limb oblong-ovate, acuminate with a filiform tail to 12-14 cm long, dusty green or brown purple outside, green or dark purple inside, incurved. Spadix unisexual: in male spadix, floriferous portion cylindric, 1.3-2 cm long, synandria subsessile, another violet, another-cells globose, dehiscing by apical pores; appendix cylindric, green, 2.5-3 cm long, 3 mm wide, erect, base narrowed stipe like, smooth without neuters. In female spadix: female portion conic, ovaries green, obovoid, stigma dark purple; appendix green, elongate fusiform, elongate clavate, erect, 5-6 cm long, 4-5 mm thick, obtuse at apex, base whether or not swollen then narrowed into stipelike part, above apex, born a few filiform neuters 2-3 mm long. Fruiting peduncle recurved. Berries red, seeds 1-2, globose, brownish.

The chromosomal number of Arisaema erubescens is 2n = 28, 56 (Mehra and Sachdeva, 1976; Gu et al., 1992).

Growing in different forests, thickets, grassy slopes; below 3200 m.

Arisaema erubescens is a flowering plant species in the genus Arisaema, endemic to Nepal.