Story of Arisaema in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand Himalaya

Uttarkashi, one of the district of Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand State, has an area of about 8,016 sq. km. And is situated between 30-32 N latitude and 78 – 79 E longitude. The forests in the district are quite rich and diverse which can be divided into evergreen, semi evergreen, deciduous, sub tropical pine forests and temperate types. The temperature of the hills varies from 2.7 to 23.5 C and in lower ranges from 4.3 to 35 C. Heavy snow fall occurs above 2500 m and comes down to about 1500 M.

Arisaema

Family – Araceae

The tuberous roots of many species can be ground into a flour  and eaten.

The tubers contain minute sharp particles which can damage  the digestive tract.

Male and female flowers borne on separate plants.

Fruit a cylindrical cluster of red berries.

Leaves either with 03 leaflets, trifoliate; or with 05 or more equal leaflets spreading finger like form the tip of the leaf stalk,

 All  mid – veins connecting with each other at a same  point, digitate;

05 or more leaflets with the two outer smaller leaflets, with their mid – veins not connecting at a same point, pedate;

 07 – 11 equal leaflets spreading or radiating round the apex  of leaf stalk, radiate.

Arisaema costatum ( Wallich) Martius ex Schott 

 2000 – 2600 m.  Shrubberies. May – Jun.

 Spathe dark purple with longitudinal white strip, 8 – 12 cm. Long, the blade down – curved and with a tail like tip 1 – 4 cm. Long.

Spadix appendage very long, 15-45 cm.

Its leaflets have very numerous parallel lateral veins which are conspicuously raised beneath;

Leaflets 03, elliptic to ovate 10-20 cm.,

The outer leaflets unequal with an angled based on the outer side and a narrow wedge shaped base on the inner side ;

Flowering stem greenish shorter than the leaves, to 40 c.m.

Arisaema propinquum Schott. (A.wallichianum Hook. F.)  

 2400 – 3600 m. Forests, shrubberies, open slopes. May – Jun.

 Spathe dark purple or green with longitudinal ribbed inside, white or purple strips, 10 – 15 cm. long, the blade oblong - ovate and with a tail like tip 1 – 4 cm. long.

Spadix appendage long, thread like 8-20 cm. Somewhat thick at its base.

Leaflets 03, rhombic to ovate 8-20 cm. By 4-15 cm. Wide; leaf stalk often brown spotted 15-70 cm.

Ariesma intermedia Blume. 

2100-3000 m. Forests. May – jun.

Spathe pale yellowish – green, rarely striped dark purple, with  an ovate – lanciolate  blade narrowed to a short tail like tip 2-3 cm. Long.

 Spadix appendage very long, slender, 15-45 cm., curved upwards from its broader purple base then hanging down wards and white.

 Leaves 1-2; leaflets 03,  ovate long pointed, the 02 lateral  leaflets very unequal sided, minutely net veined beneath, 9-20 cm.; leaf stalk slender 15-50 cm.;  flowering stem much shorter than leaf stalk.

flowering stem much shorter than leaf stalk.

Leaves with 5-20 leaflets; spadix usually without long whip-like appendage.

A leaves digitate or pedate, with 5 or more leaflets. Spathe small 2-4 cm.; yellowish.

Arisaema flavum (Forsskal) Schott 

 1800 – 4600 m.  Open forests, stony slopes. May – Jun.

Distinguished from all other species by its very small spathe which has a yellowish green ovoid tube, and a small yellowish   or greenish triangular blade 1.5-4.0 cm. Which is usually  dark purple inside at least in the lower part. Spadix appendage very short, ellipsoid, greenish or yellowish. Leaves pedate, with 5-11 oblong lanceolate pointed  leaflets 2.5-12 cm. long;  Flowering stem 10-40 cm. Spathe more than 6 cm., not yellowish Spadix appendage long slender, curved upwards.

Arisaema tortuosum  ( Wallich) Schott 

1500-3000 m. Forests, shrubberies, open slopes.  May – Jun.

Spathe green, somewhat glaucous, rarely purple, blade ovate acute 4-12 cm., curved forward. Spadix distinctive with a rather thick up-curved appendage gradually tapering to a long green or some times dark purple erect tail like tip 8-12 cm. A tall plant, often to 150 cm., with usually 02 pedate leaves with 5-7 variable, broadly ovate to oblanceolate abruptly pointed leaflets, and a leaf stalk 5-20 cm. Spadix appendage short.

Arisaema jacquemontii  Blume

2400-4000 m. Shrubberies, rocky slopes; common in upper forest and lower alpine zones. Jun. – Aug.

Distinguished from  A. tortuosum by its green sometimes white striped spathe which has a long up – curved green or dark purple tail tip, while in contrast the appendage is short-cylindrical, dark purple and projects forwards only a short distance from the mouth of the spathe  tube.

A smaller plant 10-70 cm., usually with 1 leaf which is digitate  with 5-9 narrow elliptic to ovate long pointed leaflets.