''Arum orientale'' 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 southeastern Europe as far west as

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and in

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. Its primary range is

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, and southern

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Description

The plain green leaves of ''A. orientale'' appear in autumn followed in late spring 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 pale 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, often with purple spotting. The interior of the spathe can be greenish or a dull purple to brownish color. 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 foul odor 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 a mid-to pale purple. pp. 90-97 In late spring and early summer, 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. In areas where both ''A. orientale'' and '' A. maculatum'' are found, they are easily confused. ''A. orientale'', however, has a much more limited distribution than A. maculatum. Several characteristics set the two species apart including the tuber, which is horizontal with ''A. maculatum'' but discoid with ''A. orientale''. The coloring of the interior of the spathe is another marked characteristic of ''A. orientale''

Habitat

Throughout the area it is found in deciduous woodland or on the edges of coniferous woodland, preferring partial shade and somewhat moist conditions.

Taxonomy

Within the genus, it belongs to subgenus ''Arum'', subsection ''Dischroochiton''. ''A. orientale'' has a chromosome count of 2n = 28.

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q4069834 orientale Cormous plants Flora of Europe Plants described in 1808