Dense oval bunches
of arum berries startle
the walker in swamps.
September 2, 1853
July 22. The green berries of the arum are seen, and the now reddish fruit of the trillium, and the round green-pea-sized green berries of the axil-flowering Solomon's-seal. July 22, 1852
August 22. Arum berries ripe. August 22, 1854.
August 22. The arum berries are mostly devoured, apparently by birds. August 22, 1852.
August 28. See the great oval masses of scarlet berries of the arum now in the meadows. August 28, 1856
September 1. Cohush berries appear now to be in their prime, and arum berries, and red choke-berries. September 1, 1856
September 1. The fruit of the arum is the most remarkable that I see this afternoon, such its brilliancy, color, and form; perhaps in prime now. It is among the most easily detected now on the floor of the swamp, its bright- scarlet cone above the fallen and withered leaves and amid its own brown or whitish and withering leaves. Its own leaves and stem perhaps soft and decaying, while it is perfectly fresh and dazzling. It has the brightest gloss of any fruit I remember, and this makes the green ones about as remarkable as the scarlet. With, perchance, a part of the withered spathe still investing and veiling it. The scarlet fruit of the arum spots the swamp floor. September 1, 1859
September 2. The dense oval bunches of arum berries now startle the walker in swamps. They are a brilliant vermilion on a rich ground. September 2, 1853
September 3. To fill my basket with the neglected but beautiful fruit of the various species of cornels and viburnums, poke, arum, medeola, thorns, etc. September 3, 1853
September 4. Arum in prime. September 4, 1853
September 4. In Corner Spring Swamp . . .There are many splendid scarlet arum berries there now in prime, forming a dense ovate head on a short peduncle; the individual berries of various sizes, between pear and mitre and club form, flattened against each other on a singular (now purple and white) core, which is hollow. What rank and venomous luxuriance in this swamp sprout-land! September 4, 1856
September 4. P. M. – To Bateman’s Pond. There is quite a collection of rare plants there . . . Arum berries ripe. Already, long before sunset, I feel the dew falling in that cold calla swamp. September 4, 1857
September 21. I perceive that a spike of arum berries which I gathered quite green September 1 is now turned completely scarlet, and though it has lain on my desk in a dry and warm chamber all the while, the berries are still perfectly plump and fresh (as well as glossy) to look at, — as much so as any. September 21, 1859
September 24. At brook, cohush and arum berries still fresh, and Viburnum acerifolium berries.. September 24, 1856
September 27. The arum berries are now in perfection, cone-shaped spikes an inch and a half long, of scarlet or vermilion- colored, irregular, somewhat pear-shaped berries springing from a purplish core. They are exactly the color of bright sealing-wax, or, I believe, the painted tortoise's shell; on club-shaped peduncles. The changed leaves of this are delicately white, especially beneath. Here and there lies prostrate on the damp leaves or ground this conspicuous red spike. September 27, 1852
September 28. The arum berries are still fresh and abundant, perhaps in their prime. A large cluster is two and a half inches long by two wide and rather flattish. One, which has ripened prematurely, the stalk being withered and drooping, resembles a very short thick ear of scarlet corn. This might well enough be called snake-corn. These singular vermilion-colored berries, about a hundred of them, surmount a purple bag on a peduncle six or eight inches long. It is one of the most remarkable and dazzling, if not the handsomest, fruits we have. These were by violet wood-sorrel wall. September 28, 1856
The arum berries
are still fresh and abundant –
perhaps in their prime.
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