Zantedeschia

Scientific name

Zantedeschia Spreng.

Common names

arum lilly, calla lilly

Family

Araceae

Similar genera

Alocasia, Calla, Colocasia, Peltandra

Native distribution

southern Africa

Species cultivated

Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng.

Z. albomaculata (Hook.) Baill.

Adventive distribution

Zantedeschia aethiopica is introduced in numerous countries worldwide.

Z. albomaculata is introduced into the United States.

Weed status

significant weed in some countries; can be troublesome in irrigation ditches

Habit

broad-leafed, basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosette plant.

Brief description

Perennial, rhizomatousrhizomatous:
(adj) possessing rhizomes
. Leaves spiral or distichousdistichous:
(adj) (of leaves or flowers) distinctly arranged in two ranks along an axis; leaves may be opposite or alternate
in basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosette, large (1-2 m long), sheathing; petiolepetiole:
(n) the stalk of a leaf
elongate; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
large, cordatecordate:
(adj) heart-shaped; in the form of two rounded lobes
, hastatehastate:
(adj) (of a leaf) with a narrow, pointed lamina with two basal lobes spreading more or less at right angles to the petiole
, or sagittatesagittate:
(adj) shaped like an arrowhead
; margins often undulateundulate:
(adj) (of, e.g., a margin) with a wavy surface; wavy in the vertical (up and down) plane
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
subtended by spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
, on long pedunclepeduncle:
(n) the stalk of a flower cluster or inflorescence
; spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
large, showy, subcylindrical to funnel-shaped, white (Z. aethiopica), but variously colored in cultivated forms of this species; spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
yellow. Flowers unisexualunisexual:
(adj) (of a flower) with either stamens (male) or pistils (female) but not both; consisting of only male or female flowers
, densely packed; perianthperianth:
(n) collective term for the calyx and corolla of a flower; also used for floral whorl(s) in which the calyx and corolla cannot be resolved; any of the leaves or bracts surrounding the sex organs of bryophytes
absent. Dispersal of berries by birds.

Natural habitat

wet ground and shallow water or littorallittoral:
(adj) of or along the shore
zone

Additional comments

A very commonly cultivated genus of around 28 species and cultivars. Only Z. aethiopica is widely found outside of nursery situations.