This is some sort of Anthurium, and also resides in the Haupt Conservatory at the NY Botanical Garden. The spadix is characteristic of the family Araceae (arums).
Very freaky family the Aroids! Some have inflorescenes that can melt snow, emit palpable heat to attract beetles, stink to high hell and even allow for underwater pollination without getting your feet wet (genus Cryptocoryne). And guess what Amorphallus means....
Deni Brown's Aroids is a good overview of this huge family.
God, whenever I see one of those things I get the worst urge to just stick out my tongue and swaggle it around....
Nature's obscene. We better tell the Xians.
Men everywhere (with a few rare and notable exceptions) are pulling out their ruler and feeling cheated. Mother Nature is a real bitch, eh?
Very freaky family the Aroids! Some have inflorescenes that can melt snow, emit palpable heat to attract beetles, stink to high hell and even allow for underwater pollination without getting your feet wet (genus Cryptocoryne). And guess what Amorphallus means....
Deni Brown's Aroids is a good overview of this huge family.