Corpse flower's stench attracts pollinators

From the Orange County Register: 

The titan arum, known as the “corpse flower,” is one of the stars of CSUF’s Biology Greenhouse Complex.

The corpse flower gives off an odor of rotting flesh when in bloom, which happens only two days every two to four years. The plants are native to the rain forests of central Sumatra.

While many flowers use sweet scents to attract pollinators such as bees and other insects, the foul stench of the corpse flower attracts carrion beetles and flesh flies.

“You have sweet-smelling flowers; you have foul-smelling flowers,” said greenhouse manager Edward Read. “We learned this is another way that plants have evolved to attract pollinators.”

To read the full article, visit the Orange County Register's website.