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Calla palustris L.

Wild calla, water arum, wild-calla

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassLiliopsidaMonocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
SubclassAlismatidaeAquatic and marshy plants
OrderAlismatalesHerbaceous flowering plants found in marshy habitats
FamilyAraceaeArum family, with plants whose flower is enclosed in a spathe
GenusCallaFrom Greek kallaia, “wattle of a cock.” perhaps from kallos, “beauty”
SpeciespalustrisGrowing in marshes

About plant names...

These North American native plants inhabit swamps, sea­sonally flooded bogs, stream banks, ditches, quagmires, and muddy lake shores.

Plants: 4-16″ (10-40 cm) in size, partially submerged. They have a weak odor that is unpleasant to people, but that flies and beetles and even snails find appealing. Plants can form thick colonies.

Leaves: Leaves emerge on stalks up to 1′ (40 cm), above a submersed rootstalk. Leaves are heart-shaped (ovate), waxy, smooth, and smooth-edged, with edges tending to curl inward. There is a single leaf, 1¾-4½″ (5-12 cm) long, atop each stalk.

Flowers: A single white, waxy, heart-shaped “petal,” attached to the stalk at its base, appears to be the flower, but this is really a spathe, a specialized protective leaf. The actual flowerhead, called the spadix, is about 1″ (2.5 cm) long and ½″ (1.3 cm) around, also whitish, and covered with tiny white/green flowers that lack petals. The upper part of the flowerhead has unisexual staminate flowers, while the lower part is bisexual. The flower is supported on a stem 3-12″ (7.6-30 cm) above the water line. They appear from June to July.

Fruits: Irregular, angled, but roughly pear-shaped berries up to ½″ (1.3 cm) around, and bright red.

Edibility: Poisonous. Skull & Crossbones. All parts of the plant are toxic. Calcium oxalate is probably the single most toxic compon­ent. Nevertheless, in times of poverty, some peoples pro­cessed the plant in a way that reduced its toxicity, and mixed it with other foods.

Online References:

The Central Yukon Species Inventory Project

Www.luontoportti.com

Minnesota Wildflowers

Gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org

References:

Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 376

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

5/22/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/5/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)

 

Calla palustris description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 24 Aug 2021.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.


 

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/3/2018 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 11 × 7″ (26 × 18 cm)

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/3/2018 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm)

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/5/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 6 × 9″ (15 × 22 cm)

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/3/2018 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/3/2018 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)

Calla palustris (wild calla, water arum, wild-calla)

6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine

Range: Zones 2-6:

About this map...