Hey there, boo-tanical fans, here's a spooktacular sight for you: the United States Botanic Garden's corpse flower is finally in bloom!
A native of Sumatra (where all the best flora and fauna come from), the corpse flower, or titan arum, has an irregular blooming cycle--it may not bloom for several decades, no matter how much you beg. Once open, the flower emits a stench like a decaying animal, which attracts the dung beetles and flesh flies that pollinate it. That's bringing a whole new meaning to the term, "fatal attraction!"
titan arumtit
titan arum
titan arum
The flower bloomed Sunday afternoon, and will remain in open for 24 to 48 hours before it goes back to pushing up the daisies, so steal a peek at the United States Botanic Garden's webcam before it "crocuses!"
1 comment:
Attracts pollinators with the smell and heat of a decaying corpse? Sounds sexy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekromantik
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