Skunk Cabbage Again

The spathes of Symplocarpus foetidus surround a spadix, which produces first female and then male flowers.I’m afraid a fence keeps me from getting closer, but a portion of a grenade-like spadix can be seen here. It’s this that produces the heat, through rapid respiration (burning carbohydrates via oxidation), that give this plant its early spring, snow-defeating power.Once the colorful spathes, which help to insulate the spadix, begin to wither, the cabbagey leaves of the plant begin to uncurl.