Prester John, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database. Scientific name is Arisaema triphyllum ssp. quinatum, a subspecies of Arisaema triphyllum. This plant also goes by the common name Jack in the Pulpit, but this is a distinct separate subspecies from Arisaema triphyllum ssp. triphyllum, the plant we usually see and call “Jack in the Pulpit.”
Update 04/13/2016: Based on Weakley’s Flora, I have changed this to Arisaema quinatum.
Prester John – Arisaema triphyllum ssp. quinatum
I live in the northwestern tip Macon County, North Carolina at 3100 feet. Growing on my property are arisaema triphyllum ssp. quinatum. When I first discovered them I thought I was seeing things, then today searched the internet to see if anyone else had images of the 5 leaved TRIphyllum One plant is about 12 inches tall and has 2 5 part leaves. My property has about 180+ native plants which I photograph and catalogue. I am so tickled to add one more to my awareness. Thank you for this post! Martha B
Thanks, Martha. Sounds like you have a great piece of property there in the NC mountains. I’d seen these around before the jack had formed, and wondered what they were – certainly not TRIphyllum. But looking closely you can tell that the lateral 2 leaflets are 2-lobed, giving the appearance of 5 leaflets while still living up to the species epithet of Triphyllum.
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gcw