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My scientific specialty is chronobiology (circadian rhythms and photoperiodism), with additional interests in comparative physiology, animal behavior and evolution. I am not an MD so I cannot diagnose and treat your sleep problems. As well as writing this blog, I am also the Online Discussion Expert for PLoS. This is a personal blog and opinions within it in no way reflect the policies of PLoS. You can contact me at: Coturnix@gmail.com
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Category: Friday Weird Sex Blogging • Plants • Sex
Posted on: August 12, 2006 12:41 AM, by Coturnix
Well, this Friday Weird Sex Blogging is not going to be so unique. After all, Janet and Zuzu have already blogged about it, but who can resist a phallic-looking, rotten-meat smelling, fly-attracting flower! And it is not a B-grade movie on the sci-fi channel. This is real! The Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum), in all its 3m tall glory is about to start stinking up the greenhouse at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (follow the flowering on the blog or watch the flowering web-cam here) :
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Comments
geeeeeeeze!!!! sometimes true life is weirder then life :)
Posted by: scout | August 12, 2006 2:14 AM
We had one of these bloom here in Seattle a few years back. Hoo boy, did that stink! But it was damn cool nonetheless.
Posted by: Davis | August 12, 2006 7:17 PM
Holy Shit that's big.
It's enough to make one feel inadequate...
Posted by: King Aardvark | August 16, 2006 12:00 PM
Futher proof the intelligent designer is a pervert.
Posted by: Babbler | August 16, 2006 8:49 PM
I'm guessing that the really bad smell is to attract flies or other scavengers to pollenate (correct me if I'm wrong), but I wonder if there's any particular selective advantage to the uhm, unique shape. Any botanists want to chime in? :)
Posted by: Erika | August 16, 2006 9:35 PM
You are right about the smell. The size may have something to do with the ability to produce a lot of stench and be it dipersed a long distance. The shape may be just the result of the way flowers develop when scaled to such size. I don't know, but shape may not have an adaptive value in itself and can be just a byproduct of evolution for size.
Posted by: coturnix | August 16, 2006 9:43 PM