Day 238: The common name "Wild Ginger" is one of those things which drive botanists crazy. Asarum caudatum is not related to culinary ginger, although when crushed, its roots and leaves give off a smell reminiscent of the spice. Its elusive flowers are difficult to spot unless your eyes are at ground level. They hide beneath the plant's foliage! Technically, the true flower of this Asarum is the structure at the center of the reddish-maroon sepal tube, and as is the case with other members of the family, it gives off a slightly less-than-pleasant scent. The odor attracts gnats and small flies, the primary pollinators of the species.
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