Aroids in Art

**&* <m*@hctc.com>**

I was recently in an antiques store, where there was a whole
section of art prints reproduced from old books, calendars,
advertising, etc.  In the category, "Fairies and Flower
People," there were prints of illustrated pages from
19th-century children's books.  I found one such page
depicting lords-and-ladies (Arum maculatum), personified as
(surprise, surprise) a lord and a lady.  Their clothing was
made entirely of the spathes -- a flowing tunic for the
lord, a hooded gown for the lady.  The lord also carried a
spear which was really an inflorescence with protruding
spadix, and another spadix formed the "feather" of his
Robin-hood style hat.  Berry clusters dangled from their
belts.  That is certainly a very clever way to depict
aroids.

Jason Hernandez
Naturalist-at-Large
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