ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Symplocarpus foetidus
 
 
 CLASS:    MONOCOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ARALES
 FAMILY:   ARACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Symplocarpus foetidus
 AUTHORITY:  (L.) Nutt.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    SKUNK CABBAGE
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: SYFO
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       FLOODPLAIN FOREST
         WET
       THICKETS
     WETLAND
       SWAMP
       FEN
         FORESTED
       SEEP & SPRING
         TYPICAL SEEP
         SAND SEEP
         SPRING COMMUNITY
       LISTED
         DOMINANT
         CHARACTERISTIC
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   BOONE           COOK            CRAWFORD        DEKALB          DUPAGE
   HENDERSON       JASPER          KANE            KANKAKEE        KENDALL
   LAKE            LASALLE         LEE             MCHENRY         MASON
   OGLE            PEORIA          PIATT           PUTNAM          STEPHENSON
   TAZEWELL        VERMILION       WILL            WINNEBAGO       WOODFORD
 
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Monocot
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (fibrous)   (rhizomes)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:    Basal
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Entire
    LEAF SHAPE:     Ovate     Cordate
    INFLORESCENCE:   Spadix
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Incomplete  (no petals)
    FRUIT:   Other
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     Spadix nearly globoid and green, purplish or spotted or striped with both;
     malodorous;  fruit consisting of enlarged spadix enclosing the seeds
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Occasional
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Vegetative
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      2         MONTH END-      3
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C3
     SEX:      Perfect
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Low areas;  springy slopes
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     GROWTH OF SPECIES IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS:
          GRAVEL         No data entered    SAND           No data entered
          SANDY LOAM     No data entered    LOAM           No data entered
          CLAY LOAM      No data entered    CLAY           No data entered
          DENSE CLAY     No data entered    ORGANIC SOIL   Good
          NEUTRAL pH     Good               ACIDIC SOIL    Good
          EXTREMELY ACID No data entered    SALINE SOIL    No data entered
          SODIC SOIL     No data entered    SODIC-SALINE   No data entered
          ROCKY OUTCROPS No data entered    GENTLE SLOPES  Good
          MODERATE SLOPE Good               STEEP SLOPES   Good
     HABITAT:   Wet
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     MAJOR POLLINATION AGENT:   INSECT   fly
 
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     SHOWY FLOWERS:  NO     LANDSCAPING:  NO
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Jones, G. N.  1963.  Flora of Illinois.  Third ed.  American Midland Naturalist
     Monograph 7.  University of Notre Dame, Indiana.  401 pp.
Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist.  1963.  Manual of vascular plants of north-
     eastern United States and adjacent Canada.  Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.,
     New York.  810 pp.
Fernald, M. L.  1950.  Gray's manual of botany.  8th ed.  American Book Co.,
     New York.  1632 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
Schwegman, J. E., G. D. Fell, M. Hutchison, G. Paulson, W. M. Shepherd, and
     J. White.  1973.  Comprehensive plan for the Illinois Nature Preserves
     System.  Part 2 - The Natural Divisions of Illinois.  Illinois Nature
     Preserves Commission, Springfield.  32 pp., plus map.
White, J., and M. H. Madany.  1978.  Classification of natural communities in
     Illinois.  Pages 309-405 in J. White, ed., Illinois natural areas
     inventory technical report.  Vol. 1.  Survey methods and results.
     Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, Urbana.
Downton, W. J. S.  1975.  The occurrence of C4 photosynthesis among plants.
     Photosynthetica 9(1): 96-105.
 
 OTHER REFERENCES:
     Wilson, K. A.  1960.  The genera of the Arales in the southeastern United
          States.  Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 41: 47-72.
     Williams, K. A.  1919.  A botanical study of skunk cabbage, Symplocarpus
          foetidus.  Torreya 19: 21-29.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Symplocarpus foetidus
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015