Fetid Adder's Tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii) Login         


        Description
  • CA Bloom early - Jan - Mar
  • Wide lily leaves with brown spots are more noticeable and longer lasting than the delicate flowers.
  • The flower uses a fetid smell to attract flies.
  • Found in moist shady redwood forests from Santa Cruz county northward.
  • CA native
  • AKA Slink Pod, Fetid Adder's Toungue, California Fetid Adderstongue
  • Lily Family (Liliaceae)



Flowers are in 3s. Narrow white petals in are above a second layer of three striped sepals.



Basal leaves are wide and parallel-veined. Thin flower stalks are already drooping in this picture.


Leaves have brown spots on them. Notice the flower stalks bending over to the ground to deposit their seeds.

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