DRAGON ARUM (Green Dragon) 



Atisaema dtacontium (L.) Schott 



April - May There is nothing at all like the gTeen dragon in the Illi- 

 Deep woods nois woods. The name dmcontkim and the appearance, 

 which is indeed somewhat dragon-like, produce a slightly 

 sinister aspect in a common spring flower. It does not seem much like 

 a flower, although the dragon arum blooms and produces seeds. The 

 flower is all gi*een Avith a long, protruding orange or yellow tip of the 

 spadix extending beyond the green envelope in which are the true flowers. 

 These are arranged on a club or spadix, as in the closely related Jack-in- 

 the-pulpit, and later they form seeds. 



Thrusting a stiff, white, pointed shoot through the spring oak woods, 

 the dragon arum appears in April. The folded leaves and stem are en- 

 closed at first in this white sheath, and later it remains around the base 

 of the mottled, pale green stem. This extends straight upward with the 

 leaves drooping above ; then suddenly the T-sha]:)ed stem and leaves take 

 fonn. The oval, thin, dark green and veiny leaves are attached to this 

 cross-piece in a semi-circular manner to make a diadem of glossy green 

 leaves. With all this ado of herbage, the flower, is something of an anti- 

 climax. It is not particularly l)oautiful. But later in the summer the 

 spadix has formed a magnificent club of shining dark green fruits. By 

 October these have turned brilliant crimson. Each individual berry 

 catches the sunlight; it is one of tlio fine sights of the woods (m an 

 autumn day in Illinois. 



Dragon arum gi-ows from a solid etirm \\'1iich is set not very deeply 

 in the ground. Like the corm of Jack-in-the-pulpit, this contains sharp- 

 spiked crystals called raphides which are violently irritating when taken 

 into the mouth. 



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