Titan Arum, or Corpse FlowerI first heard of the Corpse flower when I ran smack into a line awaiting entrance into the US National Arboretum in DC. One was inside blooming away and emitting a rancid odor. I was unable to view that particular specimen. But I was able to see one - in the flesh - last Wednesday at the SF State botanical greenhouse.
This particular specimen was unfortunately not yet in bloom. The Corpse Flower also known as the Titan Arum is best known for the smell it emits when in bloom. It only blooms for 24 to 48 hours and it emits a smell that can range from rotting garbage to a dead corpse. When I viewed it on Wednesday, the petals known as the spathe were wrapped around a very large hollow stem known as a spadix. On the outside the spathe were green and you could just see the deep burgundy fray of the interior portion of the spathe. The corpse flower not only emits a rotting meat fragrance when the spathe finally opens. The flower's deep red or burgundy color and texture mimic the texture and appearance of rotting meat. Moreover, during bloom the spadix heats up to the about 98 degrees Farenheit, which helps the perfume permeate the air and further seals the illusion of rotting meat. All these attributes during bloom will then attract carrion-eating beetles and Flesh Flies that it turn pollinate the Corpse Flower in its native tropical forest clime in Sumatra.
After viewing the almost three foot Corpse flower personally, I have been following the daily blog about its progress on the Friend of the Greenhouse at www.fotgh.com. The blog has been updated faithfully by the Greenhouse Manager, Martin Marhoot. Early last week the flower debunked experts by staying closed on the day they had predicted for it to open. It is further being perplexing by given not a rancid odor but one quite sweet and familiar - that of chocolate! This morning, which is Friday, July 3rd as I write this, It started to emit this odor. The spadix also increased in girth and it looks now like the spathes will relax and open just in time for fourth of July What kind of scent will waft through Greenhouse is now up for debate.
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