Identify this alien-looking plant

In My Humble Opinion
1

Sorry, I don’t have a photo. Maybe tomorrow. In the meantime, maybe someone can identify this plant:

  1. Northern Illinois
  2. Grows near a stream in a forest
  3. Tall, light green, broad leaves growing vertically
  4. At the base of the plant is a large, brownish-red, cup-shaped flower
  5. Inside the cup-shaped flower is a spiney little ball
  6. It scares me.

There are a bunch of them. A few dozen, at least. Any idea what these weird-ass things are?

2

Baby triffids?

3

Might be a sundew. So you’re safe, but any pet insects you have would be a tasty snack.

I love carnivorous plants.

4

Actually, at this time of year in a Great Lakes marsh, my first vote would be skunk cabbage.

5

Skunk cabbage images:
http://tonypratt.com/2008/04/13/skunk-cabbage/
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/symplocarpus_foetidus.shtml
http://www.mdflora.org/plantinfo/plantofthemonth/pim_skunk_cabbage.html
http://www.rockleigh.org/Recreation/Images/Veg/Skunk_Cabbage.jpg
http://blogs.salon.com/0003517/categories/observation/

The leaves can vary from somewhat narrow to very broad andf the flower colors can vary from the red-brown to yellowish with a number of variations.

6

Ok, I think we’re on the right track here. I found some pics that are similar, but I need to see the creepy little ball in the cup of the flower. Jeeez…these are very bizarre little plants.

7

Yup. Your second link is it, Tomndebb. Thanks!

8

Sure.

There is a decent photo of the “creepy little ball” in the second last photo of my last link.

9

GAAAH! That’s it! Invasion of the Snotty Bastids material! One morning I’ll get up and Donald Sutherland will be laying next to the stream!