Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 255 

 172. SKUNK CABBAGE 



SPATHYEMA FOETIDA (L.) Raf. 



Confined to mucky springy places about the lake. Its distribu- 

 tion is rather peculiar throughout the country. Wherever one finds 

 mucky or loamy ground of a springy nature — and other peculiar 

 conditions familiar to every one — he is likely to find the skunk cab- 

 bage. The plants are thus confined to suitable soil, and often in 

 wholly isolated patches. It is not likely that the large heavy seeds 

 are transported by birds. They are, indeed, too hard for most ani- 

 mals to attempt to eat, though some were once found in what ap- 

 peared to be a mouse's nest. At the lake the skunk cabbage is 

 found in Overmyer's low woods, in low springy ground along Cul- 

 ver Creek northeast of the lake, and in Busart's and Zechiel's ponds 

 in low woods. There was also a good patch in the flat west of 

 Lakeview Hotel. 



With the exception of chickweed and speedwell, plants which 

 bloom continuously and can be found in bloom every day in the 

 year in sheltered situations, the skunk cabbage is by far the earliest 

 blossom of the year, although in some seasons it has a hard race 

 with the silver maple. 



The skunk cabbage suff'ers somewhat from a bad name not 

 wholly merited. Its odor is somewhat garlicky, to be sure. Any 

 one who will take the pains to compare the odor of a freshly caught 

 skunk with a skunk-cabbage blossom that has really had oppor- 

 tunity to become smelly, will admit that the comparison of the odor 

 of the blossom to that of the animal is altogether too obvious. But 

 we have other plants that smell worse even when farther away. 

 The stink-horn is a notorious example. 



The skunk cabbage spathes are perfectly formed, and even have 

 their color developed, in autumn. By digging up the plants about 

 Thanksgiving time and unfolding the leaves the perfect flowers 

 can be seen. Some were obtained in Busart's swamp in the au- 

 tumn of 1904, Under favorable conditions the plants may even 

 blossom before New Year's. Some were found fully in bloom two 

 weeks before Christmas. 



This plant might rank even among our popular blossoms if it 

 were not handicapped by a suggestive name. A name heard in 

 Virginia was "Quick Will", probably referring to the earliness with 

 which the blossoms appear in spring. A fanciful, but by no means 

 inappropriate, name given to these plants in the south is "Midas' 

 Ears." One could hardly imagine a name more fitting, or do better 

 than follow the seer who first applied it. For if we choose, we can 



