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cuckoo pint

Scientific Name: Arum maculatum

Family: Araceae

Category: Monocot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Arum maculatum (Cuckoo Pint, Lords and Ladies)

Arum maculatum, commonly known as Cuckoo Pint or Lords and Ladies, is a plant with a fascinating history and unique characteristics. Its distinctive appearance and interesting folklore have captured imaginations for centuries.

Considerations for Pets

  • The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals.
  • All parts of the plant are considered poisonous.

Considerations for Children

  • The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals.
  • All parts of the plant are considered poisonous.

Scientific Name and Common Names

  • Scientific Name: Arum maculatum
  • Common Names: Cuckoo Pint, Lords and Ladies, Wake Robin, Adam and Eve, Friar's Cowl, Adder's Root, Starchwort, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Dog's Dibble, Devils and Angels, Snakes Head, Arum.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Family: Araceae
  • Related Species: A. italicum (Italian Arum)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to Europe, including the British Isles, and Northern Africa.
  • Often found growing wild under hedges in moist, shady ground.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Perennial herb.
  • Short with horizontal tuberous roots, often forming patches.
  • Shiny, arrow-shaped leaves, often with dark spots.
  • Produces a spathe (pale green cowl) and spadix (the true flower).
  • Conspicuous spike of orange-red berries in autumn.
  • Typically grows to 22-30 cm.

Ecological Role

  • The flower is designed to attract flies for pollination.

Historical and Traditional Uses

  • Mentioned in Nicholas Culpeper's 17th Century herbal.
  • The roots were historically used to make starch, particularly in the Elizabethan era for stiffening ruffs.

Quirky Facts

  • The "i" in "pint" in Cuckoo Pint is pronounced similar to the "i" in mint.
  • The plant has sexual connotations based on its names like "cuckoo pint" and "priest in the pulpit."
  • The name "cuckoo" may have meant "lively" to the Anglo-Saxons.
  • The name "cuckoo-pintle" comes from the obsolete sense of "pintle" meaning "penis," referring to the shape of the spadix.