The Corpse Flower: World’s Largest and Rarest Bloom That Smells Like Rotting Flesh

The Amorphophallus titanum, popularly known as the corpse flower, is one of the most unusual plants on Earth — famous for its enormous size, rare bloom, and strong odour. Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, this plant fascinates scientists and visitors with its unique biology and survival strategy.

The Corpse Flower: World’s Largest and Rarest Bloom That Smells Like Rotting Flesh

Inside the World’s Largest Inflorescence

Despite its name, the corpse flower is not a single bloom but an inflorescence — a group of many small flowers clustered around a tall spadix.

• The spathe, a petal-like sheath, opens to reveal a deep maroon interior that looks like rotting flesh.
• When fully open, it can reach over three metres in height, making it the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world.
• Underground lies a massive corm, a storage organ weighing up to 70 kilograms, which supplies energy during the plant’s long dormancy.

The Science Behind Its Terrible Smell

The corpse flower’s strong odour mimics rotting meat to attract pollinators such as carrion beetles and flesh flies.
This smell comes from chemicals like:

• Dimethyl trisulfide
• Isovaleric acid
• Trimethylamine

During blooming, the plant uses thermogenesis (heat production) to spread its scent over long distances, even simulating the warmth of decaying flesh. This clever trick ensures successful pollination in dense tropical forests.

Why It Blooms So Rarely

The corpse flower’s blooming cycle is highly unpredictable. It may take 7 to 10 years for the first bloom, and each bloom lasts only 24 to 48 hours.
Between blooms, the plant grows a single huge leaf that looks like a small tree, which gathers sunlight to store energy for its next flowering event. Because of its rarity, each bloom attracts large crowds to botanical gardens worldwide.

Conservation and Global Significance

The corpse flower is endangered due to deforestation and palm oil cultivation in Sumatra.
To save it, global institutions like:

• Kew Gardens (London)
• The Huntington Library (California)
• Bogor Botanical Gardens (Indonesia)

are working on cultivation and awareness programmes. These conservation efforts highlight the importance of protecting tropical biodiversity and rare plant species before they disappear.

Exam-Oriented Notes

• Scientific Name: Amorphophallus titanum
• Native Region: Sumatra, Indonesia
• Produces the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world (over 3 metres tall)
• Odour mimics rotting flesh to attract pollinators
• Blooming occurs once every 7–10 years, lasting 24–48 hours
• Classified as endangered due to deforestation

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Question & Answer

Q1. The corpse flower is scientifically known as:
(a) Rafflesia arnoldii
(b) Amorphophallus titanum
(c) Titan arum
(d) Nepenthes rajah
Answer: Amorphophallus titanum

Q2. The corpse flower is native to which region?
(a) Madagascar
(b) Borneo
(c) Sumatra, Indonesia
(d) Sri Lanka
Answer: Sumatra, Indonesia

Q3. What causes the corpse flower’s strong odour?
(a) Photosynthesis
(b) Presence of sulfur compounds like dimethyl trisulfide
(c) Pollen release
(d) Excess heat
Answer: Presence of sulfur compounds like dimethyl trisulfide

Q4. The corpse flower blooms once every:
(a) 2–3 years
(b) 5 years
(c) 7–10 years
(d) 15 years
Answer: 7–10 years

Q5. The corpse flower is classified as:
(a) Critically Endangered
(b) Endangered
(c) Vulnerable
(d) Least Concern
Answer: Endangered

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