Posted on 08/08/2006 5:59:20 AM PDT by ShadowAce
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - Hundreds of visitors filed through a Virginia Tech greenhouse to get a glimpse, and a whiff, of a powerfully malodorous "corpse flower" as it bloomed.
The large Indonesian plant, whose botanical name is Amorphophallus titanum, began opening up about 6 p.m. Friday and was in full bloom by early Saturday morning, curator Debbie Wiley-Vawter said in a telephone interview Monday.
The plant emits a stench to attract decaying flesh-eating beetles, flies and sweat bees for pollination. Once it blooms, the odor lingers for about eight hours, then it takes several more years before the plant has enough energy to bloom again.
How bad does it smell?
"It's like several days old road kill on a hot, sunny day," Wiley-Vawter said.
She said she went home shortly before midnight Friday and returned about 8:15 a.m. Saturday and could smell the plant from her parking spot about 100 feet from the greenhouse.
"Inside the greenhouse it was quite overpowering," she said.
Wiley-Vawter and her colleagues put out word Friday that the plant was blooming, drawing a steady stream of visitors. She said groups of 10 to 20 were brought in every half-hour until the plant closed up Saturday night. An undetermined number also watched the plant's progress via Web cam - but they were unable to sample the flower's signature stench.
Virginia Tech claims to have the only two blooming corpse plants in Virginia. The seedlings were donated to the school after James Symon of Sumatra collected and donated seeds to the International Aroid Society in 1993.
They probably have that on live web cam
I just love these "Stinking Titan" stories.
For some reason, I've always found this particular plant fascinating. It's the only plant I'm aware of that simulates dead things as an attraction.
I remember watching another one bloom on web cam...it is interesting
Thanks for the pic! You can defintely see where it gets its official name from. :)
You could probably 'let one go' and get away with it there in the greenhouse.
I'd like to order a dozen to send to Nancy Pelosi.
Flower? I thought this was a story about Fidel Castro?
'Amorphophallus titanum"
My Latin is a little rusty: "Love that phosphorescent titanium phallus"?
"that simulates dead things as an attraction."
My ex used to simulate a dead thing....
"Really big phallus that doesn't change shape," I think.
You forgot Al Gore.
That's interesting......
I have a Hawthorn outside my front door here in Illinois that reeks of decaying flesh each spring. It is pollinated by flies...
Say, Jimmy, do you like gadiator movies?
>> It's the only plant I'm aware of that simulates dead things as an attraction. <<
Actually, on Long Island, we have plenty of "skunk cabbage," which emits a stench of rotting meat to attract flies and then captures them in a sticky goo. Long Island's soil is very nitrate-deficient, basically being a pile of sand, so the local flora has to kill for protein. :^D
It doesn't usually smell too much unless you step on one or kick one open. It's enzymatic processes release so much heat, it will often melt the snow around it.
Eastern Skunk Cabbage
>> I just love these "Stinking Titan" stories. <<
George Soros?
WHOA! That puts it into perspective!
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