The Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia californica) has purple flowers and a hooded leaf with forked “wings,” resembling a cobra snake. Nectar glands in the wings lure insects into the opening under the hood. Once inside, the translucent patterns confuse and tire the insect in its attempt to escape, as downward pointing hairs direct the prey to fluid at the bottom, where it drowns and decomposes by bacterial action. Cobra Lilies are found in wet meadows and boggy seeps in serpentine and coastal areas of Southern Oregon and Northern California.

Image Size: 11″ x 15″
Framed Size: 16″ x 20″