Araceae: the Arum Family
The Titan Arum grows to over 3 metres. A native of Sumatra, it smells putrid!
I became aware of the Arum plant family whilst playing around in woodland areas when I was very young. We told all sorts of stories to younger children about our native Arum, "Lords and Ladies": "Touch the red berries and you will die" or "It can squirt poison gas into your eye". We were not wrong really - it is highly toxic! Had I only known how miraculous this plant family is!
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Araceae: the Arum Family
This ancient family, some of the oldest on fossil records, are fascinating. They are capable of maintaining their own atmosphere - a few degrees warmer than ambient - to attract pollinators. They can give off carrion-like scent to make themselves appealing to flesh flies.
Arum maculatum
Lords and Ladies, Jack in the Pulpit, Cuckoo-Pint. Picture: Sansse, 2004.
Distinctive red berries in summer. Plant 0.2 - 0.5 metres high.
About
The leaves appear like magic from shaded leaf litter in winter. Easily overlooked until it flowers. Historically, the roots were used to make laundry starch.
With a knack of smelling like a decaying corpse, the female part (thread-like organ, left) traps insects. As the flower withers, they are released to fly to the next plant. Female flowers are shown at the bottom of the plant and the resulting berries, right.
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