Sauromatum venosum - Voodoo Lily

Voodoo Lily is a very unusual, shade loving plant, producing a tubular shaped, purplish green flower, with dark purple markings on the inside, which surrounds a blackish purple central spike, making the spike look like it has been provided its own vase. When the large finger-like flower, 2-3 ft, blooms, its emits a foul smell, inspiring names like corpseflower. The real botanical flowers tiny, covered by the spathe (flap like object). The flowers are followed by lovely green leaves 2 ft purple mottled and speckled stems, providing an umbrella for its roots. Voodoo lily put up its show in early summer and grows 2-3 ft tall. Tubers are 24+ cm. Fruits are spherical or nearly cylindric, naked, up to about 9 cm in diameter. Berries are crowded, bright red-purple, cylindric, 5-10 x 2-4 mm, angulate, tip flat. Voodoo Lily is found in the Himalayas, from NW India to Nepal, at altitudes of 900-2500 m.