A close relative of jack-in-the-pulpit with a single divided leaf and a long whip-like flower spadix protruding from a green hood. Less common and more striking than its cousin.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Arisaema dracontium, the dragon-root or green dragon, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the genus Arisaema and the family Araceae. It is native to North America from Quebec through Minnesota south through Florida and Texas, where it is found growing in damp woods. It has also been reported from northeastern Mexico Plants grow 20–50 centimetres (7.9–19.7 in) tall when in bloom and after flowering reach 100 centimetres (39 in), and each grows from a corm. Normally, a plant produces one leaf with a long petiole, its leaf is composed of 7 to 13 leaflets, with its central leaflet being the largest one and with leaflets becoming smaller as they are produced distally, the leaflets are held out horizontally over the plant. During flowering in spring, a single slender, green spathe 3–6 centimetres (1.2–2.4 in) long is produced; it covers a tapering, long thin spadix. The tail-like spadix grows out around the top of its spathe. After flowering, up to 150 berries are produced in a club-shaped column. In late summer, the green berries turn orange-red, each berry produces 1 to 3 seeds. It is listed as a vulnerable species in Canada.
Source: Wikipedia — Arisaema dracontium Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Tall plant with single large compound leaf divided into 5–15 long lance-shaped leaflets arranged in a horseshoe pattern; small green spathe with greatly elongated whip-like spadix extending 15+ cm beyond.
Similar species. Jack-in-the-pulpit (1–2 leaves of 3 leaflets; spathe encloses spadix). No other US plant has the elongated whip-like spadix.
Voice. N/A
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Sister species of Jack-in-the-pulpit, sharing the same family but with a strikingly different inflorescence: long whip-like spadix extending well beyond the modest spathe. Less common than Jack-in-the-pulpit; restricted to rich moist bottomland forests. Like its cousin, all parts contain calcium oxalate crystals causing severe mouth burning if eaten raw.
§ Range
Eastern North America
§ Habitat
Rich moist deciduous forests, floodplains
§ Threats
Forest loss, deer overbrowsing, illegal collection for native-plant trade.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the green dragon is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Plant only from nursery-propagated sources. Don't dig from wild. Support forest preservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Arisaema dracontium
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Arisaema dracontium
- iNaturalist · taxon 47957
- IUCN Red List — search for Arisaema dracontium
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Arisaema dracontium
§ Sources cited
- USDA Plants Database
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Missouri Botanical Garden
