Arisaema ulugurense (Araceae)
Herb to 100cm tall. Tuber depressed-globose, 3-4 cm diam. LEAVES 1-2. Petiole with basal sheaths imbricate forming green to brownish-red pseudo-stem, free apical part of petiole 30-34 cm long, green to brownish-red. Leaf blade radiately divided to base, circular in outline, leaflets 6-8, subequal in size, broadly elliptic to obovate, acuminate, base cuneate, 11-20(-38) x 4-8(-13) cm; margins entire. INFLORESCENCE subequal to leaves. Spathe 16-28 cm long; tube cylindric to obconic, not constricted apically, 5-5-8 x 2-5-3 cm, outer surface pale green to white, sometimes with reddish markings; limb broadly ovate, long-acuminate, base broadly auriculate with revolute margins, 11-20 x 5-8 cm, longer than tube, dull green, darker than tube (Schlieben's field data states 'flower white'). Spadix unisexual, 8-10.5 cm long, longer than spathe tube; sterile appendix clavate-cylindric, 5-7 x 0-5-1-2 cm, apex rounded, truncate and stipitate at base with 4-8mm long stipe, pale green; staminate spadix ± sessile, fertile part cylindric, 2-5-3-5 x 0-5-0-8 cm, flowers distant; pistillate spadix unknown. Staminate flower composed of 1-3 stamens, anthers dehiscing by subcircular, ± oblique apical slits. FRUITING spadix 9 x 4cm. Berries subglobose, about 1 cm diam., 1-3 seeded, turning orange (? eventually red); seeds subglobose, 5-6mm diam.
This species combines the auriculate spathe of A. mooneyanum with the broad leaflets of A. bottae and A. addis-ababense. It is the only member of the genus from Tanzania and as such is peculiarly isolated; there seems no obvious explanation for the lack of records from other mountains in Tanzania. Spathe limb auriculate basally; leaflets 6-8.
In montane scrub and forest.