Peltandra sagittifolia (Michx.) Morong

White Arrow Arum; Spoon Flower; White Arum

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Spoon Flower is a native herbaceous perennial in the Arum family (Araceae). It can be found in the southern third of Alabama. Spoon Flower occurs along seepage streams and in acidic swamps. It is a perennial from a short rhizome. The leaves are petiolate, clumped, lanceolate to ovate in outline, with hastate to sagittate bases. The petiole is pink with green spots towards the base and green with purplish spots towards the blade. The leaves are light green in color and glabrous, with all of the lateral veins more or less of the same thickness. The inflorescence is a cylindrical yellow spadix enclosed by a white spathe. The inflorescence has pistillate flowers towards the base and staminate flowers towards the apex. They are separated by sterile flowers. The fruit are bright red and contain a single seed surrounded by mucilaginous tissue. Spoon Flower is sometimes available from native plant nurseries. It requires an organic-rich acidic soil and constant moisture. It can be grown in a shallow water garden or in a pot sitting in a pan kept full of water. All parts of the plant are toxic if eaten due to a high concentration of oxalic acid. Spoon Flower is listed as an S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state) and globally as a G3/G4 species (imperiled globally because of rarity or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors).—A. Diamond.

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Native OBL (NWPL) S2 (State Rank) G3G4 (Global Rank)

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