Arisarum proboscideum Arum Family

A shade loving plants, this was painted from living material grown in the Wellington Botanic Gardens. I love the movement of this unusual little plant where the flowers grow beneath the leaves as if they are little mice hiding.

The flowers (spadix) are enclosed within a hooded dark purplish brown spathe (to 2" long) that tapers into a 6-inch long tail which give the plants the common name of mouse plant. Propagation is by insects which are enticed into the spathe through a tiny opening at the end of the tail. Once inside, the trapped insects transfer pollen from male to female flowers as they move around trying to escape.

I feel the painting has humour and a rhythm with the interaction of each of the flowers.

Image size: 390 x 980mm Landscape

Medium: Watercolour

Reference: Painted from a specimen grown at the Wellington Botanic Gardens

Collection: in New Zealand

Society of Botanical Art 2014 Awards, The Joyce Cumming Presentation Award.

Exhibited:

- 2018 — Wellington Botanic Garden Exhibition “Intriguing Plants"
- 2019 — The Mitchell Gallery , Wellington, Solo show – “Curious"