Helicodiceros: Dead Horse Arum of the Mediterranean

Helicodiceros Schott ex K.Koch is a monotypic genus in Araceae represented by its sole species, Helicodiceros muscivorus, a seasonally dormant, tuberous geophyte native to Mediterranean islands including Sardinia, Corsica, and the Balearic archipelago. Its unusual spadix bears large, subulate pistillodes and its lower spathe tube is lined with stiff hairs, supporting thermogenic heat production and emission of a strong carrion-like odor to lure fly pollinators.