Rare 'corpse flower' blooms again in Warsaw
A titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) or 'corpse flower' bloomed for the second time at the Warsaw University Botanical Garden on Tuesday.
The plant first bloomed in Warsaw in June 2021. This year, the flower unfolding, observed online by thousands of fans, took 4.5 hours and concluded at 01.30am on Tuesday, the botanical garden reported.
The inflorescence will be open for only two days. Those wishing to avoid the smell or unable to visit can watch it on a live stream from the Warsaw University Botanical Garden.
It is endemic to rainforests on the island of Sumatra but is endangered in the wild due to deforestation and land degradation. It emits a rotting corpse odour to attract pollinating insects that feed on flesh. To intensify its scent, the plant raises the temperature of its inflorescence.
The flowering plant has the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, which can reach up to 3 metres. Its compound flower is composed of a hollow, tall spadix with small flowers and a spathe, with one big, furrowed petal that is green on the outside and deep burgundy red on the inside. Its blooming is rare and unpredictable.(PAP)
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