''Arisaema'' is a large and diverse

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of the

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

family

Araceae The Araceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe (or leaf-like bract). Also ...

. The largest concentration of species is in China and Japan, with other species

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to other parts of southern Asia as well as eastern and central Africa, Mexico and eastern North America.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> Asiatic species are often called cobra lilies, while western species are often called jack-in-the-pulpit; both names refer to the distinctive appearance of the flower, which consists of an erect central spadix rising from a

spathe In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also look ...

Classification and relationships

The closest relatives of ''Arisaema'' appear to be '' Pinellia'' and '' Typhonium'' (although the latter as defined in 2004 seems to be

paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...

, having given rise to ''Arisaema'' and other genera). One unusual trait shared by all ''Arisaema'' species, and not those of other genera, is the ''sex change or act of

Sequential hermaphroditism Sequential hermaphroditism (called dichogamy in botany) is one of the two types of hermaphroditism, the other type being simultaneous hermaphroditism. It occurs when the organism's sex changes at some point in its life. A sequential hermaphrodit ...

.'' ''Arisaema'' plants are typically male when small, and female or hermaphroditic when large, with a single plant capable of changing sex based on nutrition and genetics, and perhaps changing sex several times during its long life (20 years or more).

Sections

A phylogenetic study in 2016 by Ohi-toma et. al recognized 15 sections in the genus.

Species

:''See:

List of Arisaema species , Plants of the World Online accepts the following ''Arisaema'' species separated by sections from Ohi-toma et. al 2016: References

{{Reflist Arisaema, *List Lists of plant species, Iris ...

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

accepts around 212 accepted species .

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

''Arisaema'' information and links

- Japanese ''Arisaema'' pictures * {{Authority control Araceae genera