Calathea crotalifera (Rattlesnake Plant)

Native to Belize, Bolivia, northern Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ecuador and nearby regions, this is an herbaceous plant in the Marantaceae family. It is one of eighty-four native species of the genus Calathea in Colombia and grows below 6,000 feet. The yellow inflorescence resembles the rattles of a rattlesnake. This characteristic has garnered its use in exotic floral arrangements. Photographed in the department of Quindio, Colombia.