Arum creticum

Arum creticum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Araceae
Genus:	Arum
Species:	A. creticum
Binomial name
Arum creticum Boiss. & Heldr. (1854)

Arum creticum, the Cretan arum, is a species in of flowering plant in the family Araceae . ^{[1] [2]} It is native to the Greek island of Crete (Kriti), the Eastern Aegean Islands, and southwestern Turkey. This semi-evergreen clump-forming tuberous perennial has large arrow-shaped leaves. Erect folded-back spathes of fragrant yellow or cream appear in spring, with longer narrow spadices of a darker yellow. The flowers are followed in autumn by clusters of red or orange fruit. ^[3] The plant reaches 50 cm (20 in) tall and broad.

Description

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. creticum is a flag species. ^[4]

Taxonomy

Together with Arum idaeum it has been placed in subsection Cretica, ^[5] which has been confirmed through genetic testing. They are estimated to have split about 2.2 Mya. No other species are related within 5 Mya. ^[6]

Cultivation

Arum creticum is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate gardens. It is hardy but requires a sheltered position in sun or partial shade, with moist soil.

Toxicity

Caution should be exercised when handling it, as it is an irritant and toxic if ingested. ^[7]

Gallery

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  'Marmaris White'
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References

1. "Arum creticum Boiss. & Heldr". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
2. "Arum creticum Boiss. & Heldr". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
3. "Arum creticum". RHS. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
4. Gibernau, Macquart & Przetak 2004, p. 152.
5. Boyce 1989.
6. Linz et al. 2010.
7. "Arum creticum". Beth Chatto Gardens . Retrieved 13 June 2023.

Bibliography

• Linz, Jeanine; Stökl, Johannes; Urru, Isabella; Krügel, Tamara; Stensmyr, Marcus C.; Hansson, Bill S. (2010-04-01). "Molecular phylogeny of the genus Arum (Araceae) inferred from multi–locus sequence data and AFLPs". Taxon. 59 (2): 405–415. Bibcode:2010Taxon..59..405L. doi:10.1002/tax.592006. eISSN   1996-8175.
• Gibernau, Marc; Macquart, David; Przetak, Gilles (2004). "Pollination in the genus Arum – a review" (PDF). Aroideana. 27: 148–166. ISSN   0197-4033.
• Kite, Geoffrey C.; et al. (2000). "Inflorescence odours and pollinators of Arum and Amorphophallus (Araceae)" (PDF). Reproductive Biology in Systematics, Conservation and Economic Botany. pp. 295–315. ISBN   1900347628.
• Boyce, Peter C. (1989). "A New Classification of Arum with Keys to the Infrageneric Taxa". Kew Bulletin. 44 (3): 383–395. Bibcode:1989KewBu..44..383B. doi:10.2307/4110359. ISSN   0075-5974. JSTOR   4110359.