Here, one of the dark secrets of the bog was revealed to us yesterday. Apparently, a deer has nipped off the top of a toxic Skunk Cabbage spathe. (More on toxicity later.) Our area’s first flowers of spring have been revealed. They usually bloom unseen in their dark purple jester caps since at least early March. They arise from a geodesic-dome-like bulb, called the spadix, that is protected by those spathe caps.

The flowers … well, their chief attribute is that they stink, as we Skunk Cabbage lovers have to admit. (Mary Oliver’s ode to the Skunk Cabbage calls the aroma “lurid.”) But, that revolting odor is the most enticing of perfumes to the pollinating insects that crawl into the spathe for their nectar. And, although the plant appears in the early, leafless spring as a cluster of hard purple forms, it grows tremendously fast into soft, luxurious leaves (that also are toxic). See our archive images:.

As to Skunk Cabbage’s toxicity, it’s caused by a significant amount of oxalic acid content. Even a tiny toothpick-tipped taste will cause an almost unbearable needle-like burning in the mouth, according to the crazy naturalists who want to make sure scientific reports are correct. Very few animals can eat any of the forms of Skink Cabbage, but deer do so in the early Spring. That’s when it’s one of the first protein sources to emerge after their woody and lean winter. Reportedly, deer have a threshold for the plant’s toxicity and will eat only up to that threshold. (Brooklin, Maine)

In the Right Place: Lurid