Lysichiton

Scientific name

Lysichiton Schott

Common names

skunk cabbage, swamp lantern, meadow cabbage, skunk weed, swamp cabbage

Family

Araceae

Similar genera

Isachne and numerous other grasses

Native distribution

northeastern Asia and nothwestern North America

Species cultivated

Lysichiton americanus Hultén & H.St.John

L. camtschatcensis (L.) Schott

Adventive distribution

Europe

Weed status

Lysichiton americanus and L. camtschatcensis are weeds in several countries.

Habit

aquatic helophytic herb

Brief description

Large aroid herb. Rhizomes thick, stem compact. Leaves basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
, numerous, erect, very large; petiolepetiole:
(n) the stalk of a leaf
short; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
elliptic to oblong-ovate or oblanceolateoblanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped, with attachment at or near the narrow end. (compare lanceolate)
, shiny green; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
obtuse to acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
; base cuneatecuneate:
(adj) wedge-shaped; triangular, with narrow end at the base
to subtruncate; venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
pinnatepinnate:
(adj) in the form of a feather; of, e.g., leaflets, lobes, or veins: arranged in two rows along an axis
, midveinmidvein:
(n) the primary, usually central vein of a leaf or leaflet
thick. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
and spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
, appearing just before or with leaves, erect, with a disagreeable odor; pedunclepeduncle:
(n) the stalk of a flower cluster or inflorescence
absent; spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
base sheathing, hood to boat-shaped, at first enclosing the spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
, opening fully at maturity, bright yellow or white; spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
subacute, stipestipe:
(n) stalk supporting leaf or leaf-like organ
elongating in fruit.

Natural habitat

temperate temperate:
(adj) of the climatic zone between boreal and tropical
wetlands; swamps, bogs, wet woods, along streams, and other low wet areas; may be found in association with Sphagnum

Additional comments

This genus has just two species. These differ primarily in spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
color: yellow in Lysichiton americanus, white in L. camtschatcensis.