Symplocarpus foetidus
Species of flowering plant / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Symplocarpus foetidus, commonly known as skunk cabbage[5] or eastern skunk cabbage (also swamp cabbage, clumpfoot cabbage, or meadow cabbage, foetid pothos or polecat weed), is a low-growing plant that grows in wetlands and moist hill slopes of eastern North America. Bruised leaves present an odor reminiscent of skunk.
Eastern skunk cabbage | |
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Skunk cabbage in early spring | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Alismatales |
Family: | Araceae |
Genus: | Symplocarpus |
Species: | S. foetidus |
Binomial name | |
Symplocarpus foetidus | |
Synonyms[4] | |
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Symplocarpus combines the Greek word symploce, meaning "connection" and carpos, meaning "fruit", to indicate that the plant has a compound fruit.[6][7]
Linnaeus gave the plant its species name of foetidus, Latin for "bad-smelling".[8] The plant produces a strong odor, which is repulsive to many but sometimes described as smelling like "fresh cabbage with a slight suggestion of mustard".[7] The odor increases in intensity over time, as the plant matures, likely due to increased ripeness in the plant's stamens.[7]