Arisaema id
James Waddick (Sat, 03 Jul 2004 09:10:59 PDT)

Dear Arnold;
Chen Yi is notorious for substituting and mis-identifying
plants especially dormant tubers. Whether this is intentional or
accidental is unknown.
Your plant is probably either A fargesii or A franchetianum.
Some authors consider them both as a single variable species. These
are closely related and difficult to identify from an immature leaf
such as you show. Adult leaves can be immense- up to 18 inches in
length for the central main leaflet. Mature leaves have three
leaflets, younger leaves may have a single undivided leaf or one or
two divisions of various depth.
It is one of the easier and hardier Chinese species and
common from Chen Yi regardless of ID #
The International Aroid Society has a gallery of photos that
might help. Google will bring this up.

Best Jim W.

ps a new book 'The Genus Arisaema, a monograph for botanists and
nature lovers' by G and L Gusman is worth an inter-library loan.
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
E-fax 419-781-8594

Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +