The flowers of Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) often escape detection from humans, as they are borne at ground level, beneath the plant's paired leaves. For years it was assumed that the dark maroon (flesh-like) color of the flower and its accessibility to insects promoted pollination by carrion-seeking flies. It turns out, however, that most fly-pollinated flowers have a rather putrid aroma, which Wild Ginger lacks, so it may not be the lure of decomposing flesh that attracts flies. They have been observed visiting the flowers, collecting pollen and escaping the cold winds of April and early May inside the flowers, but they have not been confirmed as actually pollinating the flowers.
Wild Ginger has two back-up strategies if cross-pollination by insects doesn't occur. One is self-pollination, when the flower's pollen-bearing stamens mature and move into a position adjacent to the stigma of the flower (see white anthers pressing against central pistil in photo). The other, and most common, reproductive strategy is through vegetative reproduction - spreading rhizomes just beneath the leaf litter.
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