Photo: Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum) in Wilhelma
Botanical and Zoological Gardens Stuttgart, Germany - photo
dated October 20, 2005 by Lothar Grünz. The interesting news of
thousands of residents of Tokyo queuing up to view a rare flower
known as the Corpse Flower, also known as Titan arum
(Amorphophallus titanum), came after such flowerings of the
plants cultivated in botanical gardens in Berkeley and Houston,
USA. The rare flower of the plant drew in thousands of visitors
because it bloomed after about 20 years. The Corpse Flower emits
the stench of rotten dead bodies (and hence the name) but it is
quite gorgeous to look at. It is the largest unbranched
inflorescence in the world. The distinction of the largest
single flower goes to Rafflesia arnoldii, and largest branched
inflorescence in the plant kingdom belongs to the Talipot palm
(Corypha umbraculifera). Both Titan arum and Rafflesia arnoldii
are natives of Indonesia, mainly found in the tropical rain
forests of Sumatra, and both share the com