Arisaema Quinatum

''Arisaema quinatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the arum family Araceae. It is a member of the ''Arisaema triphyllum'' complex, a group of closely related taxa in eastern North America. The specific name ''quinatum'' means "divided into five lobes", a reference to its characteristic leaves. It is commonly known as the southern Jack-in-the-pulpit (or southern Jack) but some refer to it as Preacher John.

Description

''Arisaema quinatum'' is a herbaceous, perennial, flowering plant growing from a corm. Like other members of the ''Arisaema triphyllum'' complex, it has three leaflets per leaf, but typically the lateral leaflets are two-parted or lobed, giving the appearance of five leaflets per leaf. The spathe hood is elliptic to orbicular, with an abruptly apiculate tip. Its spadix appendix is thin, cylindrical, and curved outward whereas the appendix of other members of the complex is thicker, sometimes club-shaped, and straight. The shape of the spathe hood and the curved spadix appendix make this taxon easily recognizable, usually even as a herbarium specimen.

Taxonomy

''Arisaema quinatum'' was first described as ''Arum quinatum'' by the English botanist Thomas Nuttall in 1818. Its type specimen was collected in Georgia by "Dr. Baldwyn", apparently a reference to American physician and botanist William Baldwin. The Austrian botanist Heinrich Wilhelm Schott placed ''Arum quinatum'' in genus ''Arisaema'' in 1856. The name ''Arisaema quinatum'' is widely used today but Nuttall's contribution is sometimes overlooked.

''Arum polymorphum'' was described by Samuel Botsford Buckley in 1843. Its type specimen was collected on the banks of the French Broad River in eastern Tennessee. Alvan Wentworth Chapman placed the taxon in genus ''Arisaema'' in 1860. In his description, Buckley suggested that the specimen might be ''Arum quinatum'' , but in 1981, Huttleston argued that ''Arisaema polymorphum'' was of hybrid origin, with parents ''Arisaema quinatum'' and '' Arisaema pusillum''. Today, most authorities consider ''Arisaema polymorphum'' to be a synonym for ''Arisaema quinatum''.

''Arisaema quinatum'' is a member of the ''Arisaema triphyllum'' complex, a group of closely related taxa that also includes ''Arisaema acuminatum'', ''Arisaema pusillum'', ''Arisaema stewardsonii'', and ''Arisaema triphyllum''. , some authorities consider ''Arisaema quinatum'' to be a synonym for ''Arisaema triphyllum'' or ''A. triphyllum'' subsp. ''quinatum''. However, most authorities accept ''Arisaema quinatum'' and the other species-level members of the complex.

Distribution and habitat

''Arisaema quinatum'' is narrowly endemic to the southeastern United States, ranging from North Carolina to east Texas. It is known (but rare) as far north as West Virginia. A disjunct population occurs in the central portion of the Florida Panhandle, in Walton, Liberty, Leon, and Jefferson counties, where the species is commonly known as Prester John.

Conservation

The global conservation status of ''Arisaema quinatum'' is unknown. It is uncommon (S3) in North Carolina, and rare in Florida.

References

Bibliography

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External links

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q15327039

quinatum
Flora of the Southeastern United States
Flora of Texas
Plants described in 1818
Taxa named by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott
Flora without expected TNC conservation status