 In many species, the inflorescence emits a scent of decaying flesh in order to attract insects, though a number of species give off a pleasant odor.Through a number of ingenious insect traps, pollinating insects are kept inside the spathe to deposit pollen on the female flowers, which stay receptive for only one day, while the male flowers are still closed.These open the next day, but by then the female flowers are no longer receptive and so self-pollination is avoided.