Arum maculatum
Araceae
Cuckoo Pint, Wild Arum
April to June
It is found throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Lords-and-Ladies
It grows in shady habitats such as woods and
hedge-banks.
Lords-and-Ladies is a native, rhizomatous, perennial herb
growing up to 25cm.
The structure containing the flowers is a broad, pale green
spathe up to 25cm.
Inside the spathe is a cream or purple spadix up to 12cm.
Below the spadix are some downward-pointing hairs which
allow insects in but not out.
Below the hairs there is a ring of male flowers each with 4
purple stamens.
Below the stamens there are numerous cream female
flowers which have white, sessile, capitate stigmas.
Pollination is by small flies that are attracted to the spadix
and trapped in the base of the spathe by the hairs.
The fruiting spike start off with green berries that turn
orange and red in late summer.
Leaves are bright green, arrow-shaped and up to
25cm.
The stems are fleshy.
The root system is extensive and fragile. As gardeners
will know, root fragment readily form new plants.
Previous page: Lousewort
Next page: Marsh Horsetail
One open and several unopened spathes
Closed spathe
Opened spathe: purple spadix,
male flowers above female flowers
Hairs, male and female flowers
Close-up of male flowers - 4 stamens each
Close-up of female flowers, sessile stigmas
Downward hairs - keeping insects in
Cream spadix
Early green berries
Later orange berries
Leaf
Thick stem and fragile root system
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