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The Living Forest (129) : Cuckoo Pint

The Living Forest (129) : Cuckoo Pint

13,172 18

Mark Billiau.


Premium (World), region Antwerp, Belgium

The Living Forest (129) : Cuckoo Pint

The Cuckoo Pint is a woodland plant that prefers to grow on calcareous soil in dark forest sites.
In autumn, it produces a cluster of orange berries grouped together at the top of a stem.
These attractive berries however are EXTREMELY poisonous !

Dutch name : Gevlekte Aronskelk
German name : Gefleckte Aronstab
Latin name : Arum maculatum

PS : The official English name is Cuckoo Pint (‘pint’ is an old English slang for ‘pintle’, meaning penis), but for one reason or another, there exists a lot of other names for this plant, like : Wild Arum, Lords and Ladies, Jack in the Pulpit, Devils and Angels, Cows and Bulls, Adam and Eve, Bobbins, Naked Boys, Starch-Root and Wake Robin.
What’s in a name…….

Comments 18

  • carinart 01/10/2010 8:10

    Ich mag besonders die Beleuchtung und die Farbkontraste in diesem Bild! Sehr schön gemacht!
    L.G. Karin
  • Vitória Castelo Santos 01/10/2010 0:10

    Sehr schön diese Aufnahme gefällt mir.
    LG vitoria
  • TeresaM 30/09/2010 23:44

    SPLENDIDE mise en lumière !!!
    Bravo Mark pour cette très belle photo.
  • Anca Silvia B. 30/09/2010 21:30

    sehr fotogen,schöne Farben,Mark..LG Anca
  • Heinz Janovsky 30/09/2010 21:25

    Sehr schöne orange-grün Farbkomposition.
    Gruß Heinz
  • Adele D. Oliver 30/09/2010 20:10

    Such an attractive plant - and so beautifully photographed glowing red in the dark green leaves. I have seen it often but don't know a single one of those names for it (Jack in the Pulpit we use for a different plant).
    greetings, Adele
  • Angelika Ritter 30/09/2010 18:34

    very fine capture
    +++
    lg angie
  • Gruber Fred 30/09/2010 18:14

    Ein Licht wie im Märchenwald.Die Schärfe ist wieder bestens.Gute Arbeit Mark.
    LG Fred
  • JVision 30/09/2010 18:08

    They look really pretty from form and the brilliant colors. Excellent focus and composition !!
    Greetings
    Jutta
  • A. Lötscher -Bergjäger- 30/09/2010 17:11

    Wunderschön in dieser fantastischen Beleuchtung!!!
    LG Bergjäger
  • Vera Shulga 30/09/2010 16:36

    Beautiful presentation this poisonous plant! very nice photo with beautiful light and colors!
  • † Ushie Farkas 30/09/2010 12:10

    ein TRAUM BILD, Mark!!! Gruß Ushie
  • vjdj 30/09/2010 10:16

    A good picture with wonderful light!!! Greetings, vj
  • s. sabine krause 30/09/2010 10:05

    what an amazing range of names and expressions! the people of ancient times must have been fascinated with it, which often seems to be the case with dangerous and poisonous species! finding the perfect name might have been considered a perfect way of "controlling their recklessness", or ripping them of their magic vice by taming them and making them "known" – a little like in that fairy-tale, "rumpelstiltskin", where the evil dwarf is finally found out and called by his name – and what follows is complete annihilation! a beautiful shot, as always, mark! the bright orange berries look treacherously tasty and edible – and a little phallic, too ; ))… lg, sabine.
  • Canan Oner 30/09/2010 9:43

    Looks so cute, showing up in the darknes of the forest and saying "coucou" ."here I am" :-))
    Stunning light Mark..
    Cheers,
    Canan