Arisaema griffithii
It is Arisaema griffithii to which the common name cobra lily most applies. Just as with Arisaema ringens, the flower emerges alongside the tripartite leaf. The long, thin black tongue hangs from the bizarre, purple-and-yellow striped, cobra-head looking spathe, all held atop a short 3-6″ stalk in midspring. As a lame attempt at censorship, the 20″ tall leaf stalk finally obscures the old flower. A. griffithii occurs in open forests to 12,000′ in elevation, and for this reason, resents summer heat and summer moisture…plant at the base of a large tree or shrub for best results.
