Irish Wildflowers - Italian Lords-and-ladies

Photographs: Bantry, Co.Cork

Italian Lords-and-ladies
Arum italicum ssp. italicum
Cluas chaoin riabhach
Family: Araceae

Flowering: April-May. Perennial. Introduced. Garden escape.

Spathe pale greenish-yellow, drooping at top, un-spotted. Stout yellow spadix, reaching 1/3 way up hood. Large fruiting spike, 10-15cm, with orange-red fruit. Leaves appear in late autumn or winter, never purple spotted. All leaves basal, long-stalked, triangular-heart shaped. Basal lobes diverging. Poisonous!

Occasional garden escape or relic of cultivation.
Photographs: Non-typical form of A. italicum ssp. italicum. Similar to plants found in Spain.
Identification Paul Green, Co.Wexford.

Photographs: April 2007 Bantry, Co.Cork.

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