ARUM ALPINUM

Family:- ARACEAE

Common Name:- None

Synonyms:- Arum cylindraceum

Meaning:- Arum (Gr) A name used by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus.

Alpinum (L) Of the mountains, alpine.

General description:- A short to medium perennial, with a horizontal tuber, often

patch-forming.

Leaves:-

a) appearing in the autumn.

b) triangular-heart-shaped with the basal lobes diverging and with conspicuous

white or cream veins.

Flower:-

1) Spathe:

a) 15-30 cm long.

b) drooping at the pointed apex.

c) pale yellowish occasionally edges flushed with purple.

2) Spadix:

a) very small cylindrical.

b) brownish to dull purple, occasionally yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Spike

a) large, 10-15 cm long.

Habitat:- Moist, generally shaded habitats, hedgerows, scrub and rocky places.

Distribution:- Widespread in central and southern Europe, reaching the south-

eastern extremity of its distribution in Crete where it is not common and has a

restricted distribution.

Flowering time:- May-July.

Photos by:- By kind permission of Saxifraga - Free Nature Images