Image from wikipedia.org
Image from local-flowers.comWhile people and most living things run away from stench and rot there is one flower that attracts both humans and insects.
The rare plant that blooms after long periods of dormancy reach a height of 3 meters (10 ft); the flower withers away in 3 to 4 days, but while the flower is abloom, the spadex- the hollow structure that resembles a big fat stick /log or frenchbread generates heat that is close to human body temperature.The frilly burgandy petal is called spathe. The flower also produces an odor that is compared to that of rotting meat or eggs, the stench attracts carrion-eating insects - insects that eat rotting carcass. These insects help pollinate.
They stink and yet are attractive; that is why I'm in awe.
Titan flowering (with video) at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
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