Arum dioscoridis var. spectabile was until relatively recently a recognised infraspecific variety of Arum dioscoridis but recent taxonomic changes meant it has been subsumed within the species and is now officially classified simply as Arum dioscoridis. This situation leaves growers who cultivate both strains of the plant with something of a problem. Do we undo years of careful work and lump all our different plants under one species just to be taxanomically correct? The only reasonable solution is to continue to offer this very spectacular version of the species as a separate cultivar.

'Spectabile' has spathes that are purplish-black at the base with many large black randomly spotted mottlings often running into and overlapping each other to form even larger spotches. The tip of the spathe becomes greenish. The spadix is dark velvety purple-black. Needless to say, the aroma is over-poweringly strong and unlikely to make it into a florist's. Nature at its rawest.