Lords and Ladies puzzle.

Trudging up the hill to Ewelease Dairy today, stopping frequently to admire the newly emergent ferns, both Hart's Tongue and Soft Shield Fern, as well as the frequent Lords and Ladies, my eye was caught by one of the Lords and Ladies which had a yellow spike or spadix in contrast to the dull purple usually found. The last time I saw one of these was in the mountains of the Czech Republic some years ago, where it was frequent and easily identified as Italian Arum, Arum italicum. This does occur in Dorset, but only in narrow coastal belts in Purbeck and Portland. Could it have made it over the sea wall?

Arum italicum??. Photo John Elliott. Click to enlarge.

Checking in CTW however, the spadix of Lords and Ladies, Arum maculatum, is stated to be '7 -12 cm., upper part dull purple, rarely yellow'

Arum maculatum. Photo John Elliott. click to enlarge

There is supposed to be a difference in the midrib of the enveloping spathe but it is not apparent in any of the specimens I have examined. The leaves of italicum are said to emerge in December while those of maculatum arise in the Spring.so I will be keeping an eye on it.