Arum italicum subsp. albispathum explained

Arum italicum subsp. albispathum is a flowering plant subspecies in the family Araceae.

Description

Arum italicum subsp. albispathum differs from other subspecies in having very pale, nearly white spathes and pale yellow spathe appendices. This subspecies is reported to have a lower chromosome number, with tetraploid counts in subsp. albispathum (2n = 56) and hexaploid counts in subsp. italicum and subsp. neglectum (2n = 84).

Habitat

It grows in woodlands from the Caucasus west to Crimea.

Taxonomy

Within the genus Arum, it belongs to subgenus Arum, and section Arum. Though currently considered a subspecies of Arum italicum, its relationship with the other subspecies of A. italicum and with Arum concinnatum are unclear^[1] and it may represent an independent species.^[2]

Notes and References

1. New insights into the phylogenetics and biogeography of Arum (Araceae): unravelling its evolutionary history . Espíndola. A.. Buerki. S.. Bedalov. M.. Küpfer. P.. Alvarez. N.. 2010 . Taxon. 163. 14–32.
2. Arum - a Decade of Change. Boyce. P.C.. 2002 . Aroideana. 29 . 132–139.