| Calla | |
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| Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885 | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Araceae |
| Subfamily: | Aroideae |
| Tribe: | Calleae Bartl. |
| Genus: | Calla L. |
| Species: | C. palustris
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| Binomial name | |
| Calla palustris L.
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| Synonyms | |
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Of the genus:[3]
Of the species:[4] List
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Calla is a genus of flowering plant in the family Araceae, containing the single species Calla palustris (bog arum, marsh calla, wild calla, squaw claw, and water-arum[5]). It is the only genus in the tribe Calleae of the subfamily Aroideae. Its systematic position has been described as "puzzling",[6] and it has also been placed in its own family Callaceae and its own subfamily Calloideae.
Description
It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant growing in bogs and ponds. The leaves are rounded to heart-shaped, 6–12 cm (2+1⁄4–4+3⁄4 in) long on a 10–20 cm (4–8 in) petiole, and 4–12 cm (1+1⁄2–4+3⁄4 in) broad. The greenish-yellow inflorescence is produced on a spadix about 4–6 cm (1+1⁄2–2+1⁄4 in) long, enclosed in a white spathe. The fruit is a cluster of red berries, each berry containing several seeds.[7][8]
The plant is very poisonous when fresh due to its high oxalic acid content, but the rhizome (like that of Caladium, Colocasia, and Arum) is edible after drying, grinding, leaching and boiling.[9][10]
Taxonomy
The genus Calla and its sole species Calla palustris were first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.[3] The genus formerly also included a number of other species, which have now been transferred to the separate genus Zantedeschia. These plants from tropical Africa, however, are still often termed "calla lilies" but should not be confused with C. palustris.[11]
The genus Calla has been regarded as a "puzzling case" in relation to its systematic position. Its pollen is unusual within the family Araceae. The pollen grains are small, ornamented differently, and with a differently constructed exine. Treatments based on anatomy and morphology have tended to separate Calla from other aroids.[6] It has been placed in its own family, Callaceae,[12] or in its own subfamily Calloideae within the Araceae.[6] (In the Engler system, Calloideae had included the genera now placed in Orontioideae.[13]) Molecular phylogenetic studies on the other hand place Calla within the subfamily Aroideae,[6] where it may be given its own tribe Calleae.[12]
Distribution
It is native to cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, in central, eastern and northern Europe (France and Norway eastward, but not Britain), northern Asia and northern North America (Alaska, Canada, and northeastern contiguous United States).[3][14]
References
- ^ "Calla palustris". NatureServe. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Lansdown, R.V. (2014). "Calla palustris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014 e.T167822A42334121. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T167822A42334121.en.
- ^ a b c "Calla L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ "Calla palustris L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ Dickinson, T.; Metsger, D.; Bull, J.; & Dickinson, R. (2004) ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto:Royal Ontario Museum, p. 62.
- ^ a b c d Ulrich, Silvia; Hesse, Michael; Bröderbauer, David; Bogner, Josef; Weber, Martina & Halbritter, Heidemarie (2013). "Calla palustris (Araceae): New palynological insights with special regard to its controversial systematic position and to closely related genera". Taxon. 62 (4): 701–712. doi:10.12705/624.34. PMC 4374111.
- ^ Thompson, Sue A. (2000). "Calla palustris". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 22. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
- ^ Li, Heng; Boyce, Peter C.; Bogner, Josef. "Calla palustris". Flora of China. Vol. 23 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
- ^ "Calla palustris". Plants for a Future.
- ^ "Wild calla-Calla palustris-Poisonous plants". Pharmacognosy.
- ^ "Calla Lily Care: Grow Stunning Blooms All Season Long". www.plantgardener.com. 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ a b Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards). "Calleae". Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ Mayo, Simon J.; Bogner, Josef & Cusimano, Natalie (2013). "Recent progress in the phylogenetics and classification of Araceae" (PDF). In Wilkin and, P. & Mayo, S. J. (eds.). Early Events in Monocot Evolution. Cambridge University Press. pp. 208–242. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ Govaerts, R. & Frodin, D.G. (2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae): 1–560. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Further reading
- Blanchan, Neltje (2002). Wild Flowers: An Aid to Knowledge of our Wild Flowers and their Insect Visitors. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.
External links
- Go Botany, New England Wildflower Society
- Missouri Gardening, plant finder, Gardening Help
- North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension
- Connecticut Botanical Society, Wild Calla (Water Arum) Archived 2013-05-31 at the Wayback Machine
- Chayka, Katy; Dziuk, Peter (2016). "Calla palustris (Wild Calla)". Minnesota Wildflowers.
- University Botanic Gardens at Ljubljana
