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Amorphophallus Variabilis
''Amorphophallus'' is a large genus of some 200 tropical and subtropical tuberous herbaceous plants from the arum family (Araceae), native to Asia, Africa, Australia and various oceanic islands. The genus includes the Titan arum (''A. titanum'') of Indonesia, which has the largest inflorescence in the genus, and is known as the 'corpse flower' for the pungent odour it produces during its flowering period, which can take up to seven years of growth before it occurs. A few species are edible as "famine foods" after careful preparation to remove irritating chemicals. History The oldest systematic record of the plants was in 1692, when Hendrik van Rheede, Van Rheede tot Drakenstein published descriptions of two plants. The name "''Amorphophallus''" was first mentioned in 1834 by the Dutch botanist Carl Ludwig Blume, Blume from Ancient Greek "without form, misshapen" and "penis", referring to the shape of the prominent spadix (botany), spadix. Between 1876 and 1911, Engler merge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amorphophallus Titanum
The titan arum (''Amorphophallus titanum'') is a flowering plant in the family Araceae. It has a large unbranched inflorescence; a tall single leaf, branched like a tree; and a heavy tuber which enables the plant to produce the inflorescence. ''A. titanum'' is endemic to rainforests on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Its flower blooms infrequently and only for a short period, and gives off a powerful scent of rotting flesh which attracts pollinators. As a consequence, it is characterized as a carrion flower, earning it the names corpse flower or corpse plant. The titan arum was first brought to flower in cultivation at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 1889. Since then it has flowered at many botanic gardens. It remains difficult for amateurs to cultivate, but one flowered at a high school in California in 2011. Flowerings can attract crowds of thousands of visitors, and in the 21st century also thousands on Internet live streaming. Etymology ''A. titanum'' derives its n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
