These sure are pretty, but what are they? I'd like to grow some too if I can discover what they are. Leaves are about hand size.
The problem is there are hundreds of species and hybrids of syngonium. I've got at least 30 variations in my own atrium. I know one of the world's best caladium experts so I'll ask him for his comment.
Portlander, can you verify if this plant is a vine or grows from a tuber? If it is a vine is it climbing anything? Also, can you describe the thickness of the leaves? Are they super thin or have a slight feel of leather? Do the leaves join the petiole (stem) at the top of the blade or in closer to the center of the blade? I've sent your photo to 5 of North America's most experienced aroid experts and asked their opinion but I know for certain they will come back and ask me these questions. Whether it is Syngonium or Caladium or something else, it is almost certainly an aroid.
Saltcedar, certainly appears you've nailed it. I've never seen this species so this is one I'll add to my research list.
Just a note on Arum italicum. I spend a great deal of time researching aroid species and this one has managed to elude my attention. I started out this morning with the normal sources in my library and have learned a bit, but it is also somewhat of a mystery. The plant is definitely an aroid and as such produces a beautiful spathe and spadix. Much information on the net says it is a native of Europe but the TROPICOS (Missouri Botanical Garden) mapping system does not verify that and instead shows it grows all over Central and South America. It is possible the plant was introduced there and originated elsewhere. Deni Bown's book Aroids, Plants of the Arum Family does indicate it is from the Mediterranean area. So there is a bit of a conflict, and I often find that to be true since authors often differ on their opinions. But, this one certainly qualifies as one of the plants I would love to research. Since it is an aroid it is related to the "taro" which is a Colocasia sp., Caladium, Syngonium and quite a few other genus within the group Araceae, the aroids. I've already had another aroider contact me and tell me he is bringing me specimens. Thanks for posting this request and special thanks to Saltcedar for identifying the specimen. I'll request a copy of the original scientific description, written in the 1700's, later today and hopefully learn a great deal more. But I do appreciate the request. This one was a good exercise in aroid identification.
Sorry, I was not getting replies to this in email until today for some odd reason. Thanks to all who helped ID this! Yes, it has kind of leathery or rubbery leaves. It's my neighbor's so I haven't dug it up to look at the roots. Another neighbor has some that look almost identical to these and they have fruit once a year. The fruit stalk is singular, vertical and covered in an elongated cone of small orange berry-like fruit about the size of peas. Looks like it's being cultivated for herbal or vegetable use. http://www.worldplants.com/arum.htm Yes indeed, just as you said, this is it. Very pretty leaves. I would like to get some and use it in shade borders but I see from gardenweb.com discussions that it can be invasive under conditions it really likes. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/natives/msg1109360820447.html
Don't have any idea on the herbal uses, but the inflorescence you described is known as a spathe and spadix. The "cone" or "hood" portion is the spathe, and despite the fact it "appears" to be a "flower", it is simply a modified leaf. The center portion which you described as having fruit the size of a pea is the spadix. The spadix produces flowers but they are quite tiny and you would need a good magnifying glass to observe them. And those are in-fact the berries of the aroid. Inside, were you to smash one, you'd find some very tiny seeds, in most species one to four seeds per berry. Birds often eat the berries and then scatter the plants to new locations in their droppings. This is one species I have not studied, but there are a bunch I haven't studied yet! There are thousands of aroid species. I work on about a dozen each week. And as soon as my first specimens are delivered in a week or two, I'll be working this one up in as much detail as possible. Thanks for posting the request.
