down into the trap. Other species that use a low-hanging hood to hide the exit hole include the parrot pitcher plant, Sarracenia psittacina and the hooded pitcher plant, Sarracenia minor. S. psittacina also forms a curled operculum, while S. minor uses a leaf that is folded over the entrance. A misconception about Darlingtonia is that its forked tongue is an adaption to trap insects. However, a study done by American Journal of Botany determined that removal of the tongue does not affect prey biomass. Pollination A remaining mystery surrounding the cobra lily is its means of pollination. Its flower is unusually shaped and complex, typically a sign of a close pollinator-plant specialization. The flower is yellowish purple in color and grows on a stalk which is slightly taller than the pitcher leaves. It has five sepals, green in color, which are longer than the red-veined petals. It is generally expected that the pollinator is either a fly or bee attracted to the flower's unpleasant smell or some nocturnal insect. A new study suggests that it may be melittophilous after observing a miner bee species (Andrena nigrihirta). Pollinating by hand yielded poor results, therefore, melittophilous seems likely considering the complexity of the fruit. According to the study, "Observations of A. nigrihirta on flowers revealed that the shape and orientation of D. californica's ovary and petals promote stigma contact both when pollinators enter and exit a flower, contrary to previous thought. Our findings provide evidence that D. californica is melittophilous". Furthermore, Darlingtonia was pollen-limited in all five plants observed. However, in the case of male absence, Darlingtonia was still able to reproduce suggesting that self pollination may play a role as well. It seems likely that both occur and only bolsters the reputation of hardiness in the wild. Infraspecific taxa Two infraspecific taxa are recognized: D. californica f. californica (autonym) D. californica f. viridiflora B.Rice Cultivation Darlingtonia californica can be a difficult carnivorous plant to keep in cultivation, as they require specific environmental conditions. They prefer cool to warm day-time temperatures and cold or cool night-time temperatures. Cobra lilies typically grow in bogs or streambanks that are fed by cold mountain water, and grow best when the roots are kept cooler than the rest of the plant. It is best to mimic these conditions in cultivation, and water the plants with cold, purified water. On hot days, it helps to place ice