I find these flowers fascinating and beautiful, in a rather over-done kind of way – they are luxuriant and enormous and, to some living beings, deadly.
“The Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) has the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world. The largest single flower is borne by the Rafflesia arnoldii; the largest branched inflorescence in the plant kingdom belongs to the Talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera).
Due to its fragrance, which is reminiscent of the smell of a decomposing mammal, the Titan arum is also known as the “Corpse flower” or “Corpse plant” (in Indonesian, “bunga bangkai” – bunga means flower, while bangkai means corpse or cadaver; for the same reason, the same title is also attributed to Rafflesia which, like the titan arum, also grows in the rainforests of Sumatra).” The plant can reach heights of 7 to 12 feet and weigh as much as 170 pounds.
Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_arum
Technically, the Titan arum is not a single flower. It is a cluster of many tiny flowers; this is the meaning of “inflorescence”.
The flower with the world’s largest bloom is the Rafflesia arnoldii. This rare flower is found in the rainforests of Indonesia. It can grow to be 3 feet across and weigh up to 15 pounds. It is a parasitic plant, with no visible leaves, roots, or stem. It attaches itself to a host plant to obtain water and nutrients. When in bloom, the Rafflesia emits a repulsive odor, similar to that of rotting meat. This odor attracts insects that pollinate the plant.
Closeup
Devil’s Tongue
A related plant, the Indonesian Devil’s Tongue.
