At certain times the flowers of the Amorphophallus clan plants can produce a stinging smell of carcasses. That's why they are named as vultures.
Amorphophallus
The genus of the Amorphophallus plant consists of about 170 species. This bulbous plant spreads in tropical and subtropical regions. The scientific name comes from the form of flowers that resemble a broken penis.
In Greek, amorphos means damaged form. While phallos have the meaning of a penis or male genitals.
There are about 25 species growing in Indonesia and 18 of them are endemic. Eight species spread limited in Sumatra, five in Java, three in Kalimantan, and one in Sulawesi
Amorphophallus titanum
This time we will discuss specifically one of the species of the unique carrion flower of Indonesia, namely Amorphophallus titanum.
Tuesday (13/6) last night, this species of flowers had just bloomed in the Home Changes, City of Bekasi, West Java. There are about 60 seedlings of vultures spread in the House of Change. The seeds are Rhenald Kasali - the founder of the House of Change - get when she visited Sumatra.
But then there was only one Amorphophallus titanum that bloomed in the House of Change.
1. Growing Location
Amorphophallus titanum is one of the most famous types of carcass flowers. He is commonly referred to as a giant suweg or titan arum.
Titan arum was first discovered in 1878 on the island of Sumatra by an Italian botanist, Odoardo Beccari. This type of carcass is a tropical flower that is very endemic.
The endemic purpose here is that they can only be found in relatively small and limited geographical areas.
The giant Suweg is an endemic flora of Sumatera Island spread mainly in Bengkulu and Lampung areas. It can be found in the tropical forest habitat of Sumatra, especially at altitudes between 120 and 365 meters above sea level.
Although its natural habitat is the island of Sumatra, some of the flowers of this type of carcasses are known to have been planted and cultivated in several places outside the island of Sumatra, even abroad, for the benefit of conservation and research.
2. Flower Size
This type of carcass flower can grow as high as about three meters with a width of about four meters.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records record, the highest carcass flowers ever bloom measuring 3.1 meters. It blooms on June 18, 2010 at Winnipesaukee Orchids in Gilford, New Hampshire, United States.
But once the Cibodas Botanical Garden Indonesia has also ever announced the size of a higher carcass flower. On March 11, 2004 they said the titan arum that bloomed there has a height of 3.17 meters.