A non-profit citizens group advocating for Newton's open spaces
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT, Arisaema triphyllum
May 2013
Photo by Sue J. AveryJack-in-the-Pulpit is a spectacular plant common in moist woods. It grows one to three feet high. The flower consists of a green- and purple-striped canopy over a spathe or “Jack,” pollinated by fungus gnats to produce a bunch of bright red berries in fall. Also known as Indian turnip, Native Americans used the root as a vegetable, which is edible when dried and cooked. Leaves and fruit contain calcium oxalate that can irritate and blister the skin.
