In May 2021, people queued up outside an abandoned gas station in San Francisco’s Bay Area to catch a glimpse of the extremely rare ‘corpse flower’, named for the stench it emits when it blooms, which has been compared to rotting flesh.
- The ‘corpse flower’ is also known by its scientific name Amorphophallus titanum.
- This ultra-rare plant is known to bloom only once every seven to ten years. The flower is also considered to be one of the largest in the world.
- While the plant is native to Indonesia, its saplings have been cultivated in zoos, botanical gardens and greenhouses around the world over the years.
- The corpse flower has its distinct smell for a reason. It is also known as a Carrion flower, or a flower that emits a heady odour in order to attract pollinating insects in the wild such as scavenging flies and beetles.
(Source: Indian Express)
