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From: Marge Talt <mtalt at HORT.NET>
Subject: Re: What is the name of this plant?
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Well, I am totally delighted to read this, Barry.  My aim has been to
annihilate those durn slugs and when I read they pollinated the
plants, I was torn.  Now, I can continue slug mayhem and not worry
that I'm stopping pollination.  Thanks!

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt at hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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> From: Barry Yinger <asiatica at NNI.COM>
> No, no, no; slugs eat them but do not pollinate them.  Most asarums
are
> boletus mushroom mimics, pollinated by fungus gnats, and the
strange
> conformation of the inside of the flower is part of a ruse.  The
inside
> of the flower has the texture, moisture level, and temperature of
> boletus fungus fruiting bodies, which are attractive to the gnats.
The
> eggs are laid there, and in the course of their mating ecstasy, the
> gnats pollinate the flowers.  The larvae hatch, start to feed, and
die,
> as the flowers are poisonous to many creatures (not slugs I am sad
to
> say). Many asarums are gnat specific, which is why many species
> (including splendens) rarely set seed in cultivation.
>
> Barry Yinger
> USDA Zone 6
> Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, USA