222 



Rhodora 



[October 



A NOTABLE MONSTROSITY OF ARISAEMA TRIPHYLLUM. 

 B. L. Robinson. 



On June 4th, 1916, Dr. Horace Packard brought to the Gray Her- 

 barium for examination and study a fresh specimen of the upper por- 

 tion of an extraordinary .Jack-in-t he-Pulpit. He had discovered it 



in a low, slightly marshy spot, 

 near a running brook, on the 

 grounds of the Brae Burn Country 

 Club, at West Newton, Massa- 

 chusetts. The plant was about 

 8-4 dm. high and nothing unusual 

 was noted regarding its foliage 

 (which was not brought with tin 1 

 flowering stalk and has not been 

 seen by the writer). 



The conspicuous teratologieal 

 features of the plant arise from 

 the multiplication of the spathe or 

 canopy-like floral bract. This 

 usually single structure is here 

 represented not merely by one 

 main spathe, which is of unusual 

 size though otherwise nearly nor- 

 mal form and markings, but within 

 this are no less than twelve smaller 

 spaihes of varying sizes and pro- 

 portionately slender development. 

 All of these 1 spat lies arise at nearly 

 the same height on the axis, the 

 theoretically intervening inter- 

 nodes not being perceptible. The 

 spadix is solitary and although 

 unusually robust does not seem to 

 show abnormality. 

 At one point, partially constricting the middle of the fertile portion 

 of the spadix, is a broadish and striped belt-like structure, the nature 



Fig. 1. Ariaaema 



HiiperminuTiiry spnllies. 



