Anchomanes difformis

Native to tropical Africa, this perennial herb grows from a large underground tuber and can reach about 6 feet tall. A solitary, much-divided leaf rises on a prickly stalk marked with pale blotches. It occurs in gallery forests, marshy ground and along streams, as well as on sandy soils. The flowering structure combines a densely flowered spadix with a surrounding spathe that may be dull green, pinkish or reddish brown. Fruits ripen from white to dark purplish red. Photographed in Florida.