Cuckoo Pint
by
Shop
Arum maculatum
Common in Britain.
Known as Arum Lily & Lords-and-Ladies.
They are triangular with a very obvious arrow-head shape at the base.
By relative inflorescence height, Arum species are divided into "cryptic" species, whose inflorescences are borne on a short peduncle amid or below the leaves, and "flag" species, whose inflorescences are above leaf level at the end of long peduncles. A. maculatum is a cryptic species.
The spathe can be up to 25 cm high and the fruiting spike which follows later in the season may be up to 5 cm.
The flowers are hidden from sight, clustered at the base of the spadix with a ring of Female flowers at the bottom and a ring of Male flowers above them.
Seen in April & May.