Peltandra virginica (L.) Schott

Green Arrow Arum; Tuckahoe

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Green Arrow Arum is a native herbaceous perennial in the Arum family (Araceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Green Arrow Arum occurs along streams and rivers, in floodplain forests, in swamps, and on the shores of ponds and lakes. It is a perennial from a short rhizome. The leaves are petiolate, clumped, lanceolate to ovate in outline, with hastate to sagittate bases. They can be quite variable in shape, even on the same plant. The leaves are yellowish to dark green in color and glabrous. The lateral veins are of 2 different thickness. The inflorescence is a cylindrical yellowish-green spadix enclosed by green spathe. The spathe often has a white or yellow margin. The inflorescence has pistillate flowers towards the base and staminate flowers towards the apex. They are separated by sterile flowers. The fruit are green and contain a single seed surrounded by mucilaginous tissue. The flowers of Green Arrow Arum are pollinated by a chloropid fly (Elachiptera Formosa) which use the inflorescence as a mating site. The larvae feed on the rotting male flowers. Green Arrow Arum is sometimes available from native plant nurseries or it can be grown from seed. 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.—A. Diamond.

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Native OBL (NWPL) G5 (Global Rank)

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