Oh my oh my! That is just about the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. For some reason I have this desire to crawl into the center of it and sit down.

K

Kind of an interesting life history and other facts you probably have no interest in.

Here is a link that might be useful: Life

The flower almost looks like a child's big toy or something in a cartoon.

Really interesting info you found, esp. since, as a parasite, it doesn't destroy the host. If they get saved, maybe they'll be available here at some point, and we could grow VERY small species OUTSIDE. :)

Thanks for the additional info. Whitecat8

I saw the one in NewYork when I was there...very neat.

Also neat to see a line of people waiting to see one flower.

It took a while to notice any smell though.

Cool flower. I always thought the biggest flower was amorphophallus titanum, the flower of which reaches 10 feet tall, but I guess it's all in the way you measure it. Interesting how they both smell bad...

Here is a link that might be useful: amorphophallus titanum

Yeah, Rita, I'm with you - what's the definition of largest? The Rafflesia's right up there, sounds like. While it looks plastic in the picture, the amorphophallus could be made of glass.

Qylliam, good thing people didn't pass out from the stench while waiting in line to see what was causing it. :)

WC8

I believe the distinction is made because Amorphophallus actually has an inflorescence = collection of smaller, distinct flowers. Either way I find it interesting that the largest flower and largest inflorescence both use stinkiness rather than sweetness to attract pollinators.

I've always thought that word 'inflorescence' is kind of weird. I don't like it and try not to use it. My quirk I guess.

K