what is this?

[boxofdelights]

An arum, maybe? It's growing in a community garden plot in Seattle.

Comments

[kaberett]

I think so, yes. Certainly I looked at it and went "oh, THAT thing", so.

[pameladean]

That looks like jack-in-the-pulpit, its leaves dying back and its berries forming. The berries will turn red if that's really what it is.

P.

[kaberett]

I did not know that these were the same thing, in at least some contexts! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arum_maculatum

[pameladean]

I didn't either! Around here, calla lilies are sometimes called arum lilies, and I knew it wasn't that. I did not know that callas are not actually true arums, they just resemble most of the family.

Naming is strange.

P.

[boxofdelights]

Thanks! Even more confusing than different names for the same thing is when they use the same name for different things. First time I saw a European kestrel -- I know you guys had the language first, but that is not a kestrel! Kestrels are tiny!

[sam_t]

I'm fairly happy with 'kestrel' meaning 'whatever member of the kestrel family is locally common', but I think we (that is, the UK) are right about robins (they're not a sort of thrush, however red its breast is!) and you're right about goldfinches. Ours are attractive birds, but they're just not gold enough.

[boxofdelights]

Thanks!