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Arisaema dracontium (Linnaeus) Schott. Section: Flagellarisaema. Common name: Green Dragon. Phenology: May-Jun; Jul-Aug. Habitat: Bottomlands and floodplains, rarely in uplands over mafic or calcareous rocks or substrates. Distribution: S. QC, MI, and WI, south to n. peninsular FL and e. TX.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Ward (2012b) recognized two varieties: var. dracontium with the "spathe tightly inrolled around the spadix, to 1.5 cm broad when unrolled" and var. macrospathum (Bentham) D.G. Huttleston ex D.B. Ward, with the "spathe flared distally, forming a blade, to 2.5 cm broad". The "macrospathium" name is based on a type in Mexico and is misapplied to our taxon; this entity is here treated as Arisaema species 1.

Synonymy : = Ar, C, ETx1, F, FNA22, G, GrPl, GW1, Il, K1, K4, Mi, Mo1, NcTx, NE, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, Gusman & Gusman (2002), Spaulding et al (2019); = Muricauda dracontium (L.) Small – S; > Arisaema dracontium (L.) Schott var. dracontium – K3, Ward (2012b); > Arisaema dracontium (L.) Schott var. macrospathum (Benth.) Huttl. ex D.B.Ward – K3, Ward (2012b)

Links to other floras: = Arisaema dracontium - FNA22

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
  • Great Plains: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily : 2

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image of plant© Alan Cressler: Arisaema dracontium, Berry College Campus, Floyd County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial found in bottomlands and floodplains, and occasionally in uplands over mafic rocks.

Stems:

Leaves: Leaf single, on a long petiole (to 20 in.), forked and divided into 5-15 elliptic leaflets arranged on a semi-circular axis.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in a yellowish-green, long-tipped spadix terminating a separate stalk and partially enclosed by a pale green, leaf-like spathe; flowers minute, lacking petals and sepals; a plant may have all female, all male, or both kinds of flowers, in which case female flowers are lowest on the spadix.

Fruits: Fruit orange-red berries in a conical head at tip of spadix.

Comments:

Height: 1-2 ft.

plant sale text: A low wet area is an ideal site for Green Dragons. Average garden soil is fine, too. Its dramatic flower-like spathes have a hood and "tongue" hence their common name of Green Dragon. This plant is related to Jack-in-the-Pulpit, although it is less common. The handsome dissected leaves of the Green Dragon provide an excellent contrast to more delicate woodland plants.

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial found in bottomlands and floodplains, and occasionally in uplands over mafic rocks.

stems:

leaves: Leaf single, on a long petiole (to 20 in.), forked and divided into 5-15 elliptic leaflets arranged on a semi-circular axis.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in a yellowish-green, long-tipped spadix terminating a separate stalk and partially enclosed by a pale green, leaf-like spathe; flowers minute, lacking petals and sepals; a plant may have all female, all male, or both kinds of flowers, in which case female flowers are lowest on the spadix.

fruits: Fruit orange-red berries in a conical head at tip of spadix.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America