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Dracunculus vulgaris

Inflorescence spathe with flies; garden, Matai St, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Inflorescence spathe with fly; garden, Matai St, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Petioles & sheaths; garden, Matai St, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Robyn Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Stems, sheaths, petioles.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Stem sheath.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Flowering plants (one in bud); garden, Matai St Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Robyn Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Leaf; garden, Matai St, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Flowering plant; garden, Matai St, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Robyn Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Details of spathe and spadix; garden, Matai St, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 24/11/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

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Common names

Stink lily (dragon arum, black arum, snake lily)

Biostatus

Exotic

Structural class

Herbs - Monocots

Simplified description

Bulbous deciduous herb with erect palmate leaves. Large red-purple aroid inflorescence

Flower colours

Red/Pink, Violet/Purple

Detailed description

Bulbous deciduous herb with erect palmate leaves borne on petioles and sheaths spotted and streaked in red, green, black; lamina green with white-ish spots. Inflorescence on 0.5 m stalk (scape), to 0.5 m tall; spathe dark red-purple with frilled margins, partly enclosing the red-purple spadix that extends beyond the spathe.

Similar taxa

Amorphophallus titanum

Conservation status

Not applicable

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Araceae

Authority

Dracunculus vulgaris Schott

Ecology

Flowering

Late spring; monoecious - abundant male flowers above the many female flowers near base of spadix; flies strongly attracted by the rotting flesh smell emitted from the mature inflorescence.

Year naturalised

1965

Origin

South-eastern Mediterranean Europe (Greece, Greek islands including Crete; Turkey)

Reason for introduction

Ornamental

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