The white bat flower (Tacca integrifolia) was first described sometime in the early 1800s. And there appears to be some confusion over the botanist who found it. Was it John Bellenden Ker, John Ker Bellenden, or maybe John Gawler? Perhaps, it does not matter. The plant is bizarrely spectacular and we can thank him for his discovery.

The genus, Tacca, has only about 10 members, all but one are native to the tropics of the Old World, the Pacific Islands, and Australia. Tacca are not tolerant of cool temperatures, drying out, or wet roots. Most of these oddities thrive on the moist soils of the forest floor.

Tacca have a mutualistic relationship with fungi, known as vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas (VAM). This relationship explains why the plant dislikes either dry or sodden soils. The extremes probably hinder the functioning of the fungi. VAM helps the Tacca to better utilize the soil it is growing in. The bat flower gives the fungi a share of the photosynthates (sugars and proteins) it manufactures.