The World's Largest And Stinkiest Arum
The most remarkable carrion arum is the titan arum or bunga bangkai "corpse flower" (Amorphophallus titanum). Native to equatorial tropical rain forests of Sumatra, Indonesia, this amazing plant flowered at the New York Botanical Garden in 1937. At its maximum development, a spadix over 8 feet tall (2.4 m) emerged from a huge vase-shaped, pleated spathe over 4 feet (1.2 m) tall and 12 feet (4 m) in circumference. This floral giant developed from a tuber measuring 6 feet (2 m) in circumference and weighing over 100 pounds (46 kg). According to B. Meeuse and S. Morris (The Sex Life Of Flowers, 1984), the enormous blossom generates such an overwhelming smell that people have been known to pass out from taking too close a whiff.
Although the blossom of this arum may tower over an adult human, it is not the world's largest flower. It is technically an inflorescence composed of numerous small, unisexual male and female flowers clustered around the base of the spadix, within the showy, funnel-shaped spathe. Female flowers consist essentially of ovule-bearing pistils deep within the spathe. Staminate (male) flowers (consisting essentially of stamens) are packed around the spadix, just above the female flowers. The conspicuous upper part of the spadix is sterile (flowerless) and emits the stench. Since the male and female flowers reach maturity at different times, cross pollination between different plants is the normal mechanism for sexual reproduction and seed production. Female flowers are typically receptive before the anthers release pollen, a cross pollination incentive known as protogyny. After pollination, the minute female flowers give rise to several hundred seeds. Although truly magnificent, this inflorescence is rather small compared with the Bolivian bromeliad Puya raimondii, with a flower stalk 35 feet (11 m) tall bearing over 8,000 white blossoms. In case you are wondering about the generic name Amorphophallus, it is derived from the Greek words "amorphos" (shapeless) and "phallos" (penis). Actually, the 8 foot phallus-like spadix of A. titanum rivals the size of a blue whale penis. This remarkable arum flowered in spring of 1996 at the University of Bonn Botanical Garden in Bonn, Germany.
On August 2, 1999 an Amorphophallus titanum achieved full bloom at the Huntington Botanic Garden in San Marino, California. This was only the 11th recorded bloom in the United States and the first ever in California. Equally astonishing was the number of people who came to visit this magnificent plant on the peak day of its blooming period, over 10,000 admirers. They waited patiently in a long line in 80-90 degree heat, a line that at one time extended the length of two football fields (or about 200 meters). Some people wore protective nose masks, and one boy even wore a gas mask. Actually, no one was overcome by the stench (the plant was roped off to prevent people from getting their faces too close to the funnel-shaped spathe).
The magnificent titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) at the Huntington Botanic Garden on August 3, 1999 (one day after its peak blooming period). The large, funnel-shaped spathe (red on the inner surface) is already folded closed in photo. Thousands of people witnessed this very unusual blossom. Those lucky enough to be at Huntington Botanic Garden on the previous day (August 2) saw this spectacular inflorescence with the reddish spathe opened wide, resembling the drawing on the commemorative T-shirt (right), for sale at HBG. To find out more about this amazing plant (or T-shirt) log on to the Huntington Botanic Garden web site at www.huntington.org.
On the 14th of June 2000, another remarkable Amorphophallus titanum was in full bloom at the Fullerton Arboretum on the campus of California State University at Fullerton (CSUF) in Orange County, California. Known affectionately as "Tiffy Titan," the plant came from one of two tubers donated to the CSUF Department of Biological Science in October 1994. [Incidentally, Tiffy's name is derived from Titan, the mascot for CSUF.] Both tubers came from seeds that were planted the previous year. The typical life cycle of A. titanum starts with a seed that develops into a dormant tuber, followed by leaf production, larger dormant tuber, flowering and seed production. At CSUF, the complete life cycle has taken seven years. Pollen from another A. titanum that bloomed the previous summer (1999) at Huntington Botanic Garden was applied to all of the female flowers of "Tiffy Titan" at the peak day of flowering (14 June 2000).
Left: "Tiffy Titan" (Amorphophallus titanum) in full bloom at Fullerton Arboretum on the campus of California State University at Fullerton. Right: Another Amorphophallus titanum near the end of its gigantic leaf stage. The withered compound leaf is supported by ties to the shadecloth ceiling framework.
On July 16, 2002 another spectacular Amorphophallus titanum came into full bloom at Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, California. The blossom (inflorescence) developed from a huge, tire-sized tuber in a large flower pot. As the spathe opened into a reddish-purple funnel surrounding the yellow spadix, the blossom emitted a powerful carrion stench that filled the air of this serene botanical garden.
One of the original two tubers of Amorphophallus titanum donated to CSUF was still in its leaf stage on June 14, 2000 when "Tiffy Titan" was in full bloom. The single, enormous compound leaf was approximately eight feet tall (2.4 m) with a spread of at least 8 feet (2.4 m). It was already brown and withered, and was near the end of its leaf stage. Following the leaf stage, the enlarged tuber of this second A. titanum (with sufficient carbohydrate reserve) will hopefully produce another striking, stinking blossom.
Pollination of "Tiffy Titan" (Amorphophallus titanum) at Fullerton Arboretum on the campus of California State University at Fullerton. Pollinators are Leo C. Song Jr. of the CSUF Biological Science Greenhouse Complex and Chris Barnhill of the Fullerton Arboretum.
Another bizarre Malaysian species of Amorphophallus (A. paeoniifolius). Older references often list this species by its synonym of A. campanulatus. An enlarged, inflated, flower-bearing spadix protrudes from the vase-shaped spathe. Clusters of yellow male flowers (stamens) can be seen above the whitish stigmas of female flowers (pistils). Photo was taken at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Papaikou, Hawaii. This remarkable arum was grown by Horticulturist and Garden Manager, Sean Callahan.
Underground tubers of the Malaysian Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, also listed by the synonym of A. campanulatus.
Although the blossom of this arum may tower over an adult human, it is not the world's largest flower. It is technically an inflorescence composed of numerous small, unisexual male and female flowers clustered around the base of the spadix, within the showy, funnel-shaped spathe. Female flowers consist essentially of ovule-bearing pistils deep within the spathe. Staminate (male) flowers (consisting essentially of stamens) are packed around the spadix, just above the female flowers. The conspicuous upper part of the spadix is sterile (flowerless) and emits the stench. Since the male and female flowers reach maturity at different times, cross pollination between different plants is the normal mechanism for sexual reproduction and seed production. Female flowers are typically receptive before the anthers release pollen, a cross pollination incentive known as protogyny. After pollination, the minute female flowers give rise to several hundred seeds. Although truly magnificent, this inflorescence is rather small compared with the Bolivian bromeliad Puya raimondii, with a flower stalk 35 feet (11 m) tall bearing over 8,000 white blossoms. In case you are wondering about the generic name Amorphophallus, it is derived from the Greek words "amorphos" (shapeless) and "phallos" (penis). Actually, the 8 foot phallus-like spadix of A. titanum rivals the size of a blue whale penis. This remarkable arum flowered in spring of 1996 at the University of Bonn Botanical Garden in Bonn, Germany.
On August 2, 1999 an Amorphophallus titanum achieved full bloom at the Huntington Botanic Garden in San Marino, California. This was only the 11th recorded bloom in the United States and the first ever in California. Equally astonishing was the number of people who came to visit this magnificent plant on the peak day of its blooming period, over 10,000 admirers. They waited patiently in a long line in 80-90 degree heat, a line that at one time extended the length of two football fields (or about 200 meters). Some people wore protective nose masks, and one boy even wore a gas mask. Actually, no one was overcome by the stench (the plant was roped off to prevent people from getting their faces too close to the funnel-shaped spathe).
The magnificent titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) at the Huntington Botanic Garden on August 3, 1999 (one day after its peak blooming period). The large, funnel-shaped spathe (red on the inner surface) is already folded closed in photo. Thousands of people witnessed this very unusual blossom. Those lucky enough to be at Huntington Botanic Garden on the previous day (August 2) saw this spectacular inflorescence with the reddish spathe opened wide, resembling the drawing on the commemorative T-shirt (right), for sale at HBG. To find out more about this amazing plant (or T-shirt) log on to the Huntington Botanic Garden web site at www.huntington.org.
On the 14th of June 2000, another remarkable Amorphophallus titanum was in full bloom at the Fullerton Arboretum on the campus of California State University at Fullerton (CSUF) in Orange County, California. Known affectionately as "Tiffy Titan," the plant came from one of two tubers donated to the CSUF Department of Biological Science in October 1994. [Incidentally, Tiffy's name is derived from Titan, the mascot for CSUF.] Both tubers came from seeds that were planted the previous year. The typical life cycle of A. titanum starts with a seed that develops into a dormant tuber, followed by leaf production, larger dormant tuber, flowering and seed production. At CSUF, the complete life cycle has taken seven years. Pollen from another A. titanum that bloomed the previous summer (1999) at Huntington Botanic Garden was applied to all of the female flowers of "Tiffy Titan" at the peak day of flowering (14 June 2000).
Left: "Tiffy Titan" (Amorphophallus titanum) in full bloom at Fullerton Arboretum on the campus of California State University at Fullerton. Right: Another Amorphophallus titanum near the end of its gigantic leaf stage. The withered compound leaf is supported by ties to the shadecloth ceiling framework.
On July 16, 2002 another spectacular Amorphophallus titanum came into full bloom at Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, California. The blossom (inflorescence) developed from a huge, tire-sized tuber in a large flower pot. As the spathe opened into a reddish-purple funnel surrounding the yellow spadix, the blossom emitted a powerful carrion stench that filled the air of this serene botanical garden.
One of the original two tubers of Amorphophallus titanum donated to CSUF was still in its leaf stage on June 14, 2000 when "Tiffy Titan" was in full bloom. The single, enormous compound leaf was approximately eight feet tall (2.4 m) with a spread of at least 8 feet (2.4 m). It was already brown and withered, and was near the end of its leaf stage. Following the leaf stage, the enlarged tuber of this second A. titanum (with sufficient carbohydrate reserve) will hopefully produce another striking, stinking blossom.
Pollination of "Tiffy Titan" (Amorphophallus titanum) at Fullerton Arboretum on the campus of California State University at Fullerton. Pollinators are Leo C. Song Jr. of the CSUF Biological Science Greenhouse Complex and Chris Barnhill of the Fullerton Arboretum.
Another bizarre Malaysian species of Amorphophallus (A. paeoniifolius). Older references often list this species by its synonym of A. campanulatus. An enlarged, inflated, flower-bearing spadix protrudes from the vase-shaped spathe. Clusters of yellow male flowers (stamens) can be seen above the whitish stigmas of female flowers (pistils). Photo was taken at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Papaikou, Hawaii. This remarkable arum was grown by Horticulturist and Garden Manager, Sean Callahan.
Underground tubers of the Malaysian Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, also listed by the synonym of A. campanulatus.
posted by Budi Hartato at 6:33 AM
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