Bat lily

Tacca intergrifolia, the bat lily. This herbaceous plant is actually a pretty common understorey grower in local forests. But the aroid-like habit (it's no coincidence the plant's Malay name is keladi murai or magpie yam) is generally unremarkable except during the flowering period. The recent wet and cool weather has probably helped to trigger off a bout of blooming. Sai brought to my attention this specimen with a pair of fine inflorescences.

A swarm of tiny flies, probably the species' pollinators, can be seen hovering around the inflorescene on the right. Taccas are reputed to make good houseplants, as they thrive in shaded conditions. Their relative unpopularity amongst local cubicle gardeners may be attributed to the supposed inauspiciousness, and to some spooky appearance, of the dark-coloured flowers. My duck, on the other hand, wouldn't bat an eyelid if anyone should offer me a pot of this beauty.... 

Comments

[Mable]

Hi Budak,
Thanks for your interest in my photo of the Bat Lily. Some years back, I found a bat lily at the foot of the steps leading up to the top of Bukit Timah Hill. Wonder if this is the place you saw the flowers recently. Here's a page on my old website that is not linked on my present one.

http://www.flowersinsingapore.com/flowers2.htm

Your comment also got me wondering about the specie and so I searched the internet and came up with this webpage that has beautiful photos featuring the flower that looks like the one I put up on my blog:

http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/82906/

So apparently or really, the flower I photographed is a white bat lily. I hope that the plant in Bukit Batok is still growing at the spot where I found it a few years ago. By the way thanks too for linking to your website and I shall reciprocate with a link to yours on my blog this weekend and take time to browse all that info you have put up on yours. Cheers!

[budak]

hmm.. your Bukit Batok plant seems to be a Tacca nivea which I read is native to Malaysia but not noted in any of my Singpapore references.

[Gwynne]

Hey budak, Gwynne here. I just saw this post and trust me I'm mega excited to see those flies. I know it's been a while but can you remember where you saw this particular specimen?