''Arum cylindraceum'' is a woodland plant

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of the 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 ...

. It is found in most of Europe except the UK, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States and Scandinavia (although it is found in Denmark), and in Turkey. It is also missing in northwestern France and southern Italy.

Description

The plain green leaves of ''A. cylindraceum'' appear in early spring (late March–early May) followed by the

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s borne on a poker-shaped

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

called a spadix, which is partially enclosed in a grass-green

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 ...

or leaf-like hood. The flowers are hidden from sight, clustered at the base of the spadix with a ring of female flowers at the bottom and a ring of male flowers above them. Above the male flowers is a ring of hairs forming an insect trap. Insects are attracted to the spadix by its faecal odour and a temperature warmer than the ambient temperature. The insects are trapped beneath the ring of hairs and are dusted with

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by most types of flowers of seed plants for the purpose of sexual reproduction. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced Gametophyte#Heterospory, microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm ...

by the male flowers before escaping and carrying the pollen to the spadices of other plants, where they pollinate the female flowers. The spadix is pale chocolate brown to dark purple. pp. 85-90 Image:Arum cylindraceum7.jpg Image:Arum cylindraceum sl2.jpg Image:Arum cylindraceum3.JPG Image:Arum cylindraceum sl1.jpg In autumn, the lower ring of (female) flowers forms a cluster of bright red

berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone fruit, stone or pit (fruit), pit although many wikt:pip#Etymology 2, pips or seeds may be p ...

which remain after the spathe and other leaves have withered away. These attractive red to orange berries are extremely poisonous. The berries contain oxalates of

saponin Saponins (Latin ''sapon'', 'soap' + ''-in'', 'one of') are bitter-tasting, usually toxic plant-derived secondary metabolites. They are organic chemicals that become foamy when agitated in water and have high molecular weight. They are present ...

s which have needle-shaped crystals which irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, and result in swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, burning pain, and upset stomach. However, their acrid taste, coupled with the almost immediate tingling sensation in the mouth when consumed, means that large amounts are rarely taken and serious harm is unusual. All parts of the plant can produce

allergic reactions Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, alle ...

in many people and the plant should be handled with care. Many small

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

s appear to find the spadix particularly attractive; finding examples of the plant with much of the spadix eaten away is common. The spadix produces heat and probably scent as the flowers mature, and this may attract the rodents. It is scentless to humans, however. In areas where both ''A. cylindraceum'' and '' A. maculatum'' are found, they are easily confused. ''A. cylindraceum'', however, does not usually occur in the wild in the UK, but in Central Europe both species are found, often growing in the same locations. The only characteristic that sets the two species apart with certainty all year is the tuber, which is horizontal with ''A. maculatum'' but vertical with ''A. cylindraceum''. Other differences are: * The spadix is around 2/3 as long as the spathe; with ''A. maculatum'' it is only 1/2 as long. The spadix of ''A. cylindraceum'' is never yellow, which it can be with ''A. maculatum''. * ''A. cylindraceum'' never has spotted leaves (except when hybridizing with ''A. maculatum''). Note that A. maculatum, despite the name, does not always have spotted leaves (e.g. ''A. maculatum ssp. immaculatum''). * The cluster of berries is up to 7 cm with ''A. cylindraceum'', and up to 4 cm with ''A. maculatum''. * The spathe is greener with ''A. cylindraceum'', not quite as pale as with ''A. maculatum''.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are accepted. *''Arum cylindraceum'' subsp. ''cylindraceum'' – Sweden, Denmark, middle Europe, southeastern Europe, Turkey, Corsica, and the Iberian Peninsula *''Arum cylindraceum'' subsp. ''pitsyllianum'' –

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

Habitat

Throughout the area it is found in deciduous woodland or on the edges of coniferous woodland, preferring partly shade and somewhat moist conditions. It is found up to 1700m, lower in the northern part of the area. In the southern part it is also found on grassy or rocky slopes and pastures.

Taxonomy

Within the genus, it belongs to subgenus ''Arum'', section ''Alpina''. ''A. cylindraceum'' has a chromosome count of 2n = 28. ''A. alpinum'' is now considered a synonym of ''A. cylindraceum'', but certain subspecies such as ''A. alpinum ssp. danicum'' were long held to be a representative of another species. The name ''A. alpinum'' is, however, now considered obsolete in all cases.

Uses

In medieval Denmark, then including parts of Germany and Sweden, starch from the tubers (also from ''A. maculatum'') was used to stiffen clerical collars, but as the tubers contain a caustic sap that caused blistering of the hands, this was abandoned when starch from wheat became available. Today colonies of ''A. cylindraceum'' are still found close to church sites, although the species seems to have died out in southern Sweden.

References

Bibliography

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1233923 cylindraceum Cormous plants Medicinal plants of Europe Flora of Middle Europe Flora of Southeastern Europe Flora of Corsica Flora of Cyprus Flora of Denmark Flora of Portugal Flora of Spain Flora of Sweden Flora of Turkey Plant toxins Neurotoxins Plants described in 1829 Taxa named by Guglielmo Gasparrini