Fetid Adder's Tongue

The plant Fetid adder's tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii) has a wicked name, straight out of a witches brew cookbook. The fetid comes from the foul smell of the flowers -- presumably to attract pollinating insects -- and the seed pods, which develop later, resemble a snake's tongue.

I first saw this plant almost a year ago with Catey on Mount Tam, along the Cataract Falls trail.  We noticed its basal leaf and seed pods, but no flower. The leaves are unmistakable - rich, smooth, deep green, mottled with reddish. It reminded me of trout lily from the woods of northern Illinois that is apparent this time of year.

Fetid adder's tongue, near Carson Falls, Marin Co., 2012.

This year we located the plant as it was flowering, in great abundance, along another wooded creek canyon in the Mt. Tam area -- along the Carson Falls trail.  We got to smell the unique odor that it puts off. As if seeing this amazing flower wasn't reward enough.