Re: Rotten Meat Scented Flowers

Dear Trevor,

     Thank you. Dragon Lily Dracunculoides is it. It really likes it here
by the San Francisco bay. It is an attractive plant as you described, but
the smell! I was really taken aback by the power of it. Our whole house
stunk of it and I could smell it from several houses away. It is pretty
though.

     Regards, Tim Kalman


> [Original Message]
> From: Trevor Nottle <Trevor.Nottle@tv.tafe.sa.edu.au>
> To: <leahdragonfly@earthlink.net>; <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Date: 6/10/2005 5:19:29 PM
> Subject: Re: Rotten Meat Scented Flowers
>
> Hi Tim,
>
> You have gotten one of several kinds of plant. The commonest is the
> Dragon Lily Arum dracunculoides - it has white and black spotted stems
> and a crown of fingery green leaves from which the purple brown spathe
> rises clear. There is also the Palestine Lily Arum palestinicum this is
> in all repsects lower and smaller, the stem and leaves are deep green,
> the leaves a re entire, not fingery, and the flower sits down among the
> leaves. They both stink of rotten flesh - carrion. The smell attracts
> flies who lay their maggots inside the flowers thinking the little
> charmers will find food. Instead they starve. In flying in and out of
> the narrow neck of the flower, usually passing a ring of hairs the flies
> knock down pollen and thus fertilise the flowers.
>
> If you need to cut down the smelly flowers all you need cut is the
> flower itself, not the stem and leaves, thus retaining the attractive
> stems and leaf forms. The corms usually multiply well, esp if the soil
> is sandy and well drained. Increase is usally by small cormlets that
> form of the surface of the main 'bulb'. If the bulb is scratched or cut
> (and doesn't rot) additional 'bulblets' will form. i guess it could have
> some weedy potential in conditions particularly to its liking but o/wise
> its an OK background plant very hardy in med climate gardens.
>
> trevor n
>
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