Re: black arum
- Subject: Re: black arum
- From: Tony and Moira Ryan t*@xtra.co.nz
- Date: Tue, 01 Oct 2002 11:13:09 +1200
Vavourakis wrote:
>
> Dear Nick,
> Thanks for the id-it is probably that one. I did find a picture
> George Sfikas' Wild Flowers of Crete and everything checks out except
> this one has a bright green spadix, not dark brown. By the way, the
> odor has faded completely with the flower now past its prime.
> Karen V.
Nature is very economical with her "come hither" chemicals. For instance
many flowers pollinate by night flying moths are quite scentless each
day till near sunset.
As to the fly-attractors. In Kenya we used to get some Stapeliads which
put out a dead meat smell for a just a few days while their otherwise
very handsome flowers are receptive, and in NZ we have not a flowering
plant but a type of fungus which unfurls from an egg shaped "bud" to
form a wonderful airy white "basket" several inches across. However if
one comes upon it when it has just opened the frame of the "basket" is
covered with a digusting brownish slime with an unspeakable smell. In a
very few hours this is dissipated, apparently caried off by flies with
faecal tastes, and then the airy framework can be enjoyed for another 24
hours or so before it collapses.
Presumably there are spores embedded in the slime waiting for
distribution. For seveal years we had such a fungus appearing regularly
at the top of our garden, so had a chance to study it in detail before
it finally died out.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ. Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
