Carrion flower

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Plants known as "carrion flower"

Amorphophallus

Many plants in the genus Amorphophallus (family Araceae) are known as carrion flowers. Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), which has the world's largest flower head, is also called "carrion flower". Rather than a single flower, the titan arum presents an inflorescence or compound flower composed of a spadix or stalk of small and anatomically reduced male and female flowers, surrounded by a spathe that resembles a single giant petal. This plant has a mechanism to heat up the spadix enhancing the emission of the strong odor of decaying meat to attract its pollinators, carrion-eating beetles and "flesh flies" (family Sarcophagidae). eames plywood lounge

Flower of Rafflesia kerrii, in Khao Sok National Park, Southern Thailand. folding lounge chair

Rafflesia le corbusier chaise

Flowers of plants in the genus Rafflesia (family Rafflesiaceae) emit a repulsive odor, similar to that of decaying meat. This odor attracts the flies that pollinate the plant. The world's largest single bloom is R. arnoldii. This rare flower is found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. It can grow to be 3 feet across and weigh up to 15 pounds. R. arnoldii is a parasitic plant on Tetrastigma vine, which grows only in primary rainforests with no visible leaves, roots, or stem. It does not photosynthesize, but rather uses the host plant to obtain water and nutrients.

House fly landing on a flower of Stapelia lepida.

Stapelia

Plants in the genus Stapelia are also called "carrion flowers". They are small, spineless, cactus-like succulent plants. Most species are native to South Africa, and are grown as potted plants elsewhere. The flowers of all species are hairy to varying degrees and generate the odor of rotten flesh. The color of the flowers also mimics rotting meat. This attracts scavenging flies, for pollination. The flowers in some species can be very large, notably Stapelia gigantea can reach 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter.

Smilax or Nemexia

In North America, the herbaceous vines of the genus Smilax are known as Carrion flowers. These plants have a cluster of small greenish flowers. The most familiar member of this groups is Smilax herbacea. These plants are sometimes placed in the genus Nemexia.

Scent

The sources of the flowers' unique scent is not fully identified, partly due to the extremely low concentration of the compounds (5 to 10 parts per billion), but simple amines present in decaying flesh, the appropriately named putrescine and cadaverine, are known to be present. Dimethyl sulfides, including disulfide and trisulfide have been detected in Amorphophallus.

Other plants with carrion-scented flowers

Crescentia alata

Sterculia foetida

Hydnora africana

Helicodiceros muscivorus

Dracunculus vulgaris

Lysichiton americanum

Symplocarpus foetidus

Arum maculatum

Aristolochia clematitis

plants in the genus Asimina, commonly referred to as Pawpaw

See also

Stinkhorn- fungi that use the same basic principle for spore dispersal.

Asero rubra- fungi that use the same basic principle for spore dispersal.

References

^ Wilson, Elizabeth K. (2003-06-30). "A Fantastic Stink" (HTML). Chemical & Engineering News (American Chemical Society) 81 (26): 27. ISSN: 0009-2347. http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/8126/8126giantplant.html. Retrieved 2007-04-29. 

External links

All about stinking flowers

This page is an index of articles on plant species (or higher taxonomic groups) with the same common name (vernacular name). If an internal link led you here, you may wish to edit the linking article so that it links directly to the intended article.

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