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Coiled Cobra Lily
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Coiled Cobra Lily
ative Photo: Thingnam Girija
Common name: Coiled Cobra Lily • Nepali: ढोकायो साग Dhokaayo Saag • Tangkhul: Khamasom won
Botanical name: Arisaema griffithii    Family: Araceae (Arum family)

This species of Cobra Lily is uniquely beautiful yet difficult to describe, even in comparison to other species. Coiled Cobra Lily is both attractive and bizarre in equal proportions. Has two, large, dark green, slightly wrinkled leaves, each divided into 3 leaflets and prominent dark veins on the underside. Bears a large (up to 8 inches), hooded, green spathe, deeply veined with green over dark purple-brown. Spathes are borne at ground level under the leaves. The spadix is abruptly narrowed to a purple tail-like appendage, 20-80 cm long. Coiled Cobra Lily is found in the Himalayas, from C. Nepal to Bhutan, at altitudes of 2400-3000 m. Flowering: May-June.

Identification credit: Ratna Ghosh Photographed enroute to Tsomgo lake, Sikkim.

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