Arum italicum Mill.

Rights: Rights reside with creator, otherwise property of NYBG.

  • Filed As

    Araceae
    Arum italicum Mill.

  • Collector(s)

    D. E. Atha 15916 with Adam Thornbrough, 28 Feb 2017

  • Location

    United States of America. New York. New York Co. New York City. Inwood Hill Park, north of Dyckman Street and west of Payson Avenue, north of the Payson Playground.

  • Habitat

    Deciduous forest with spontaneous Prunus serotina, Celtis occidentalis, Rhus typhina, Ailanthus altissima, Ulmus americana, Lonicera shrub, Rosa multiflora, Vitis sp., Carya cordiformis, Tilia americana (possibly planted), Alliaria petiolata, Galium aparine, Allium vineale, Lonicera japonica, Hedera helix. Bush honeysuckle was removed or cut here in about 2007, then trees such as Quercus bicolor on lower ground were planted.

  • Description

    Herb forming dense circular patches, the plants densely crowded, the stems erect from deeply buried corms; the corms blackish outside and white inside; plants apparently dividing by production of ovoid, daughter corms ca 1 cm diam; new corms forming roots and shoots from the same point on the corm, so that the shoot must grow plagiotropically before becoming erect; older stems white at the base where buried, then becoming reddish near ground level; petioles green, strictly erect and crowded; new leaves forming from center of plant; older leaves large and fleshy, the veins whitish green. We surveyed an area of about 50 square meters roughly centered about where this collection made. In this area we began counting patches and stopped at over one dozen when it became apparent that there were dozens more individuals almost too numerous to count scattered throughout the plot. Almost any square meter, randomly placed in the plot could harbor a solitary or juvenile colony of Arum italicum. Adam reports that the plants were not noted by gardeners until this year, perhaps only after additional invasives were removed and the ground layer exposed. He also reports that the gardeners in Fort Tryon Park have been battling this species in the Heather Garden there. We speculate that the plants here could have been spread by birds carrying seed from Fort Tryon. The plants will be treated by Park staff.

  • Notes (shown on label)

    Sample preserved in silica gel at NY

  • Identifiers

    NY Barcode: 02920916

    Occurrence ID: 2d7e28d9-9194-4af7-9705-6473fe690ccd

  • Laboratory Collections

    Tissue Samples, 02759905, D. E. Atha 15916, Arum italicum Mill. - Accepted : Araceae (38.0) : : : Magnoliophyta;

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  • Kingdom

    Plantae

  • Division

    Magnoliophyta

  • Order

    Alismatales

  • Family

    Araceae

  • All Determinations

    Arum italicum Mill. det D. E. Atha, 2017
    Note: ! David Werier 2023

  • Region

    North America

  • Country

    United States of America

  • State/Province

    New York

  • County/Municipio

    New York Co.

  • City/Township

    New York City

  • Locality

    Inwood Hill Park, north of Dyckman Street and west of Payson Avenue, north of the Payson Playground

  • Elevation

    Alt. 16 m. (52 ft.)

  • Coordinates

    40.8679, -73.9284

  • Coordinate Uncertainty (m)

    25

  • Georeferencing Method

    GPS. 40.867920, -73.928427 (WGS84, ±25m), ca 16 m elev

  • Geodetic Datum

    WGS84

  • Distribution

    Map all specimens of this taxon

Araceae
Arum italicum Mill,
det. D. Atha, 2017
United States of America. New York. New York Co. New York City,
Inwood Hill Park, north of Dyckman Street and west of Payson Avenue,
north of the Payson Playground. 40.867920, -73.928427 (WGS84,
±25m), ca 16 m elev. Deciduous forest with spontaneous Prunus
serótina, Celtis occidentalis, Rhus typhina, Ailanthus altissima, Ulmus
americana, Lonicera shrub, Rosa multiflora, Vitis sp., Carya cordiformis,
Tilia americana (possibly planted), Alliaria petiolata, Galium aparine,
Allium vineale, Lonicera japónica, Hederá helix. Bush honeysuckle was
removed or cut here in about 2007, then trees such as Quercus bicolor on
lower ground were planted.
Herb forming dense circular patches, the plants densely crowded, the
stems erect from deeply buried corms; the corms blackish outside and
white inside; plants apparently dividing by production of ovoid, daughter
corms ca 1 cm diam; new corms forming roots and shoots from the same
point on the corm, so that the shoot must grow plagiotropically before
becoming erect; older stems white at the base where buried, then
becoming reddish near ground level; petioles green, strictly erect and
crowded; new leaves forming from center of plant; older leaves large and
fleshy, the veins whitish green. We surveyed an area of about 50 square
meters roughly centered about where this collection made. In this area
we began counting patches and stopped at over one dozen when it became
apparent that there were dozens more individuals almost too numerous to
count scattered throughout the plot. Almost any square meter, randomly
placed in the plot could harbor a solitary or juvenile colony of Arum
italicum. Adam reports that the plants were not noted by gardeners until
this year, perhaps only after additional invasives were removed and the
ground layer exposed. He also reports that the gardeners in Fort Tryon
Park have been battling this species in the Heather Garden there. We
speculate that the plants here could have been spread by birds carrying
seed from Fort Tryon. The plants will be treated by Park staff.
Sample preserved in silica gel at NY.
Daniel Atha, Adam Thornbrough 15916
28 Feb 2017
02920916