This Jack-in-the-Pulpit plant (Arisaema triphyllum) was one of only two complete plants of its kind that we found yesterday in a boggy area where we usually find more.
By “complete” we mean having a three-part leaf (“church”), which shelters a striped protective spathe (“pulpit”), within which there is a flower spadix (“Jack”). The scarcity of the plants probably is because our woods are in a semi-drought condition despite some recent rain.
Much about this native plant is strange, beginning with its name. It has a “pulpit” that hides the “preacher” rather than making him more visible and he’s disrespectfully called by his nickname alone. (“Minister-in-the-Pulpit” or “Priest-in-the-Pulpit” might be more inspiring.) Here’s one having trouble getting started:
Who is Jack supposed to be? Perhaps the Jack-in-the-Pulpit name is a play on Jack-in-the-Box, where we also can’t see Jack most of the time. Does anyone know the history of this plant’s name?
Moreover, the odds are about even that Jack is a Jill. This plant can change from male to female before its yearly appearance, as energy needs require. However, whether the plant hides a Jack or a Jill, you better not taste it raw – it’s toxic to humans. (Brooklin, Maine)