Rare "Corpse Flower" Set To Bloom 57

Posted by timothy on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @09:54AM from the let-a-thousand-corpses-bloom dept.

BearJ writes "And you thought Halley's comet was rare. For the first time in the northeast since the 1930s, a Corpse Flower, or 'Amorphophallus Titanum' is set to bloom at the University of Connecticut. Check out the press release and the official page . Oh, and it's called the corpse flower due to its putrid smell, apparently to attract dung beetles. I wonder if I could find some for my garden..."

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Rare "Corpse Flower" Set To Bloom

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Ummmm..... (Score:3, Funny)

by DesScorp ( 410532 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @10:00AM (#9631430) Journal

It's a dick.

And now we're posting stories on giant penis flowers on Slashdot?

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- Re:Ummmm..... (Score:5, Funny)
  
  by bigsteve@dstc ( 140392 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @11:03AM (#9632106)
  
  Yes folks ... all flowers are sex organs.
  So, next time you buy a bunch of flowers for your girlfriend, why not remind her of the plants that have been castrated for her enjoyment? (Just a thought :-)
  
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- Re:Ummmm..... (Score:1)
  
  by TheHans ( 155993 ) writes:
  
  According to this Titan Arum fact sheet [rbgsyd.gov.au] from the Botanic Gardens in Sydney Australia the flowers scientific name (Amorphophallus titanum) means "huge deformed penis. "
- Re:Ummmm..... (Score:1)
  
  by operagost ( 62405 ) writes:
  
  So it looks like a huge penis, and smells like crap.
  Somebody's getting a piece o'dat booty.
- Re:Ummmm..... (Score:2)
  
  by merlin_jim ( 302773 ) writes:
  
  And now we're posting stories on giant penis flowers on Slashdot?
  
  I for one welcome our new giant penis flower overlords.
Dennis the Menace (Score:1)

by haydenth ( 588730 ) writes:

Where's Dennis the Menace to ruin the whole flower blooming? DENNIISSSSSS
- Re:Dennis the Menace (Score:1)
  
  by denis-The-menace ( 471988 ) writes:
  
  Here I am!
  
  Hey, I tried to find a still of that scene you're talking about. Couldn't find it.
  - Re:Dennis the Menace (Score:2)
    
    by rizzo420 ( 136707 ) writes:
    
    http://www.imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1093/Mptv/1093/96 79-8.jpg?path=gallery&path_key=0106701 [imdb.com]
    
    i think that's the closest you'll get. that's after the flower died and mr wilson got pissed.
- Dennis' Sister!!! (Score:1)
  
  by vijaya_chandra ( 618284 ) writes:
  
  This little girl [uconn.edu] on the home page does seem to have some mischevious ideas.
  Who knows, may be she turns out to be dennis' long lost sister
Smells fishy (Score:1)

by karrde ( 853 ) writes:

Isn't this the same type of flower that was recently on /. for being the biggest blossom. If I remember correctly that was in England somewhere... but is it really that important that we have one blooming when they actually bloom all the time.
- Re:Smells fishy (Score:5, Informative)
  
  by sporktoast ( 246027 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @10:34AM (#9631760) Homepage
  
  Fishy is an awfully kind way to describe the smell of the blossom.
  You are probably thinking [slashdot.org] of the one that bloomed in Germany [archive.org] in May, 2003. Slash [slashdot.org] also reported on one back in 2001 in Wisconsin [wisc.edu].
  I wouldn't call three specimens in four years blooming "all the time". There have been only about 15 recorded blooms in the United States. That's not blooms in a year, that is blooms at all. This is not a garden variety daylily [daylilies.org] we're talking about.
  
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  - Re:Smells fishy (Score:2)
    
    by Lars T. ( 470328 ) writes:
    
    Actually, the (same) one in Bonn (Germany) also bloomed in 2000 and before that they had 6 blooms since 1937. Maybe the guys in Connecticut should ask for some gardening tips ;-)
  - Re:Smells fishy (Score:2)
    
    by Steve Cox ( 207680 ) writes:
    
    Actually, he was correct - THREE of these flowers bloomed at Kew Gardens [rbgkew.org.uk], London, UK in 2002.
    
    Timeline photos of the blooms can be found:
    
    Here for plant 4 [rbgkew.org.uk]
    Here for plant 2 [rbgkew.org.uk]
    Here for plant 3 [rbgkew.org.uk]
    
    Another one bloomed in 2003:
    Here for plant 3 [rbgkew.org.uk]
    
    Steve.
    - Re:Smells fishy (Score:2)
      
      by Steve Cox ( 207680 ) writes:
      
      Damn. Faffed up the numbers on the links. A total of 4 plants DID flower at Kew Gardens in 2002 & 2003, its just the numbers on the links that are screwed up.
      
      Steve.
  - Re: (Score:1)
    
    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) writes:
    
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
- Re:Smells fishy (Score:2, Funny)
  
  by stu42j ( 304634 ) writes:
  
  You mean this one [slashdot.org]:
  
  or [slashdot.org]:
  
  or perhaps [slashdot.org]:
  
  That last one may be a different flower but what is the deal with slashdot's obsession with large stinky flowers?!?
- Re:Smells fishy (Score:1)
  
  by M1FCJ ( 586251 ) writes:
  
  There was one blossom of this plant a couple years ago in Cambridge, UK. Probably you remember that one. I was living in Cambridge at that time but never bothered to go and smell how it smelled. Now I live 10 miles outside Cambridge, I simply wouldn't bother at all.
- Same (Score:2)
  
  by Arbogast_II ( 583768 ) writes:
  
  Same plant. They had one on loan at the Atlanta Botanical Garden a few years back. It is a neat looking plant.
Another one... (Score:4, Informative)

by FreshMeat-BWG ( 541411 ) writes: <{moc.em} {ta} {nywdoogneb}> on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @10:10AM (#9631530) Homepage

At Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX is also preparing to bloom. SFASU Arboretum [sfasu.edu]

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- Re:Another one... (Score:3, Funny)
  
  by Spock the Baptist ( 455355 ) writes:
  
  The Stephen F. plant is named Jack by the way.
  
  So to those who've not visited the SFASU Arboretum recently...
  
  YOU DON'T KNOW JACK!
- Re:Another one... (Score:2)
  
  by RobertB-DC ( 622190 ) * writes:
  
  We live nearby, so I took the kids to Nacogdoches to see the huge flower. On Saturday (7/10), the plant (named Jack, as previously noted) was 4'10" and had started to slow down. We and Dawn (the research assistant) noticed that Jack was starting to ooze a bit of fluid, and Dawn speculated that the Big Event was about to occur -- the oozing may have been some overflow from the chemical cocktail brewing inside.
  
  Sunday, Jack's frills began to open, and by Monday night, he/she was in bloom. We're not making
it's not about to bloom, it's done (Score:5, Informative)

by clsc ( 730336 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @10:15AM (#9631583) Homepage Journal

A day or so too late, it seems:
Amorphophallus Titanum 2004 Daily Progress [uconn.edu]

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- Re:it's not about to bloom, it's done (Score:3, Informative)
  
  by CanSpice ( 300894 ) writes:
  
  Uh, what? Did you happen to read what that page says? It says that it opened half-way, then closed up a bit, and they don't know what it'll do next. They know it hasn't fully bloomed yet.
And to celebrate... (Score:5, Funny)

by WormholeFiend ( 674934 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @10:17AM (#9631603)

durian smoothies for everyone!

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Rarer than Halley's Comet? (Score:2, Informative)

by CodeMonkey4Hire ( 773870 ) writes:

Our largest Amorphophallus titanum is finally producing its first flower bud after 10 years since planting from seed.

That means this thing was planted way back in... 1994. Very long time ago.

The last time Halley's comet came by was 1986. It isn't due again until 2061. Oh, and there's only one Halle's comet. Bad analogy.
Ummm... (Score:1)

by Bluesman ( 104513 ) writes:

Haley's Comet is as rare as you can get. There's on ly one.
Not as rare as one might think (Score:4, Informative)

by dacarr ( 562277 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @11:45AM (#9632541) Homepage Journal

The Fullerton Arboretum over at CSU Fullerton [fullerton.edu] has one that has been recorded as blooming twice in four years - in 2000 and 2003. For those curious, heeeeeeere's Tiffy [fullerton.edu]!
There was also a bloom in 1999 at the Huntington Library [huntington.org] in San Marino, CA - which they pollinated from in Fullerton in 2003.
So that's three in five years here in sunny southern California. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

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- - Re:Not as rare as one might think (Score:1, Offtopic)
    
    by rizzo420 ( 136707 ) writes:
    
    because uconn is cooler... we won both the men's and women's ncaa basketball championships last year.
    - Re:Not as rare as one might think (Score:2)
      
      by dacarr ( 562277 ) writes:
      
      This is slashdot. Who cares about basketball? =^_-=
- Re:Not as rare as one might think (Score:1)
  
  by michaelredux ( 627547 ) writes:
  
  There was also a bloom at CSU Chico a few weeks ago [csuchico.edu]
I can't get there in person... (Score:4, Funny)

by dpbsmith ( 263124 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @12:03PM (#9632736) Homepage

...so can someone post a URL from which I can download the smell? (.wma format preferred)

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- Actually, there's a good substitute that closer... (Score:1)
  
  by Gadgetfreak ( 97865 ) writes:
  
  I visited it last night, and I was somewhat surprised to find that the smell was much more remeniscent of soiled diapers rather than rotting carcass. I'm sure you must know someone with a baby...
  - Re:Actually, there's a good substitute that closer (Score:2)
    
    by rizzo420 ( 136707 ) writes:
    
    have you ever smelled a rotting carcass?
    
    no?
    
    didn't think so...
    - Yes... just not a human carcass (Score:1)
      
      by Gadgetfreak ( 97865 ) writes:
      
      And I know you have too.
      - Re:Yes... just not a human carcass (Score:1)
        
        by FLEB ( 312391 ) writes:
        
        Okay, let's compromise... dead baby corpse.
    - Re:Actually, there's a good substitute that closer (Score:2)
      
      by ckaminski ( 82854 ) writes:
      
      I have. They don't call it the sweet smell of death for nothing...
- Re:I can't get there in person... (Score:2)
  
  by Alsee ( 515537 ) writes:
  
  Don't you mean .wms format?
  
  -
Smells (Score:3, Insightful)

by 4of12 ( 97621 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @01:07PM (#9633384) Homepage Journal

Long ago I read somewhere that the smell of a human corpse was considered the most repugnant to the human nose.

From an evolutionary perspective, in the propagation of disease, I can well imagine why.

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- Re:Smells (Score:2)
  
  by WormholeFiend ( 674934 ) writes:
  
  I've never smelled a rotting human corpse, but I've had the misfortune, in the past, of discovering dead rotting animals, eg mice, a cat, a racoon, a skunk.
  
  With the exception of the skunk, they all had a similar smell. I would assume we don't smell that different from other rotting mammals.
  - Re:Smells (Score:1)
    
    by IBX ( 793635 ) writes:
    
    Rotting animals smell differently: there is a noticable difference between rotting cow and rotting pig smell (pig has a pork-chops like tone into the rot).
    
    The worst smelling odour ever is Phe-PH-Me, methyl phenyl phosphine - It smells completely rotten sweet, like corpses mixed with over-ripe watermelons. I got fired from a university lab for making the stuff. (We did it on Sunday, in a remote abadoned lab. We though we de-contaminated all the glassware with bleach. I guess we just paralyzed our noses an
    - Re:Smells (Score:3, Insightful)
      
      by WormholeFiend ( 674934 ) writes:
      
      so, how do you make this methyl phenyl phosphine? (I'm assuming by chemical reaction, not by letting something rot...)
      - Re:Smells (Score:1)
        
        by IBX ( 793635 ) writes:
        
        Take triphenylphosphine, reduce off one phenyl with sodium in liquid ammonia (or potassium in hot dioxane), alkylate the produced diphenyl phosphide anion with methyl iodide, reduce off the second phenyl. Isolate and purify by vacuum distillation. The entire synth 3-step sequence can be done in one flask.
        
        Oh, and the apparatus with residue after the distillation likes to catch on fire when you let the air in. It is realy wonderful chemistry.
        
        Re:Smells (Score:2)
        
        by WormholeFiend ( 674934 ) writes:
        
        It is realy wonderful chemistry
        
        a stink-bomb with spontaneously combusting residue? hell ya!
Same at UCDavis last year (Score:1)

by timothv ( 730957 ) writes:

UCDavis had one bloom [ucdavis.edu] last year as well.
The ultimate subterfuge... (Score:5, Funny)

by moonboy ( 2512 ) writes: on Wednesday July 07, 2004 @01:19PM (#9633488)

The ultimate subterfuge for the bodies buried in the backyard.

"Oh, that smell? It's just my Amorphophallus Titanum."

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Some personal Pictures from "Opening Day" 7/6/04 (Score:2, Informative)

by Gadgetfreak ( 97865 ) writes:

Since this is the Science page, I think the server can handle it... I hope.

Corpse Flower Pictures [lazbox.org]

Nothing makes you more proud of your Alma Mater than a gigantic stinky flower.

I'm a MechE, though, so the Biology thing is still interesting as a novely.
Is it named Audrey II ? (Score:2)

by ericspinder ( 146776 ) writes:

I saw that thing and thought Little Shop of Horrors [imdb.com] (the original movie [imdb.com]), or for that matter... Invasion of the Body Snatchers [imdb.com] (the orginal movie [imdb.com]). Man, that is one big pod...
Unoriginal (Score:1)

by sbb ( 655140 ) writes:

Simpsons did it [snpp.com] (Moe Baby Blues).
Jeez... now the plant world is trying to rip off the Simpsons. They really have done *everything*.
Triffid (Score:2)

by TwistedSpring ( 594284 ) * writes:

Man that's how I always imagined a triffid. Interesting that it's called the amorphophalus. Clearly whoever discovered it had a sense of humour.
Not a first? (Score:1)

by toby ( 759 ) writes:

Unless I am mistaken, the Montreal Botanical Garden [montreal.qc.ca] had one in bloom, or about to bloom, during my visit around January 2000.

There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

Ummmm..... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Ummmm..... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Ummmm..... (Score:1)

Re:Ummmm..... (Score:1)

Re:Ummmm..... (Score:2)

Dennis the Menace (Score:1)

Re:Dennis the Menace (Score:1)

Re:Dennis the Menace (Score:2)

Dennis' Sister!!! (Score:1)

Smells fishy (Score:1)

Re:Smells fishy (Score:5, Informative)

Re:Smells fishy (Score:2)

Re:Smells fishy (Score:2)

Re:Smells fishy (Score:2)

Re: (Score:1)

Re:Smells fishy (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Smells fishy (Score:1)

Same (Score:2)

Another one... (Score:4, Informative)

Re:Another one... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Another one... (Score:2)

it's not about to bloom, it's done (Score:5, Informative)

Re:it's not about to bloom, it's done (Score:3, Informative)

And to celebrate... (Score:5, Funny)

Rarer than Halley's Comet? (Score:2, Informative)

Ummm... (Score:1)

Not as rare as one might think (Score:4, Informative)

Re:Not as rare as one might think (Score:1, Offtopic)

Re:Not as rare as one might think (Score:2)

Re:Not as rare as one might think (Score:1)

I can't get there in person... (Score:4, Funny)

Actually, there's a good substitute that closer... (Score:1)

Re:Actually, there's a good substitute that closer (Score:2)

Yes... just not a human carcass (Score:1)

Re:Yes... just not a human carcass (Score:1)

Re:Actually, there's a good substitute that closer (Score:2)

Re:I can't get there in person... (Score:2)

Smells (Score:3, Insightful)

Re:Smells (Score:2)

Re:Smells (Score:1)

Re:Smells (Score:3, Insightful)

Re:Smells (Score:1)

Re:Smells (Score:2)

Same at UCDavis last year (Score:1)

The ultimate subterfuge... (Score:5, Funny)

Some personal Pictures from "Opening Day" 7/6/04 (Score:2, Informative)

Is it named Audrey II ? (Score:2)

Unoriginal (Score:1)

Triffid (Score:2)

Not a first? (Score:1)

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