Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Shown below are images of a jack-in-the-pulpit plant that comes out in the woods around the time of cherry blossom. The peculiar dark purple spathe covers the entire flowers on the spadix inside. Jack-in-the-pulpit plant is a member of Araceae family.
Jack-in-the-pulpit is a monocot. Click here to see its scattered vascular bundles.
The jack-in-the-pulpit has an interesting name coming out of its peculiar shape of the flower. In the acient times, they imagined the whole flower shape of the plant as a man fishing -- and hanging his fishing rod out. And that particular man has got a name "Urashima-so" who is a legendary man that appears in the Story of Urashima, a folk tale.
It is a rather long story. It goes as follows.
Urashima-san was a fisherman. He goes out to sea every day to catch fish. One day, as he walks by the shore and found a group of nasty kids bullying a turtle. He took a pity of the turtle and saved it from the hands of the them. Days after that incident, Urashima had the chance to meet the turtle again by the sea.
The turtle, said to Urashima. "Thank you for saving me from the evil villegers. In return, I will take you to the under-sea palace. Why don't you come to us with me?"
Urashima hesitated and said to the turtle, "I am a poor fisherman. And what will come out of my family if I leave and go to your place?" But in the end, he agreed to come, just for a while.
Urashima got on the back of the turtle and way he goes under the sea. He was got by a surprise when he was greeted by sea creatures and even so when he reached at their magnificent palace. They entertained Urashima and invited him to feast after feast -- hosted by the most beautiful princess he has ever seen in his life. Now he lost the count of days of his stay in her palace. Days after days, he spent in dances, songs, drinks, and good foods.
But he was a hard-working fisherman indeed. After a while, he was full of anxiety -- what would have happened to my family? Are they well? He said then he must go back to upper world. His request was accepted despite her lamenting words. He got back riding on the turtle's back. When he left, she gave him a present -- a box which he should not open unless he would not want to be in the upper land anymore.
When he returned home, to his surprise, he was greeted something completely different from what he knew about his old village. When he got back from the sea and proceeded to the town, he saw nobody he knew. Puzzled, he asked of his family. They told him that they were long gone and that 300 years ago, their son disappeared mysteriously and they died in misery.
Sorrowful Urashima opened box. A stream of smoke come out of the box -- and suddenly he became an old man.
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Arisaema thunbergii ssp. urashima
Chiba, Japan
April 2004