Tag: Corpse lily

The corpse flower is so named for its distinctly unpleasant smell, a powerful odor that can travel for miles to attract pollinators. A bloom can lose a measurable amount of its average biomass producing these chemicals during its brief, once-every-seven-to-ten-year flowering. So, why does the stinking corpse lily smell bad and what purpose does this serve in nature?

The colossal and famously foul-smelling stinking corpse lily (a name often applied to multiple species, including *Rafflesia arnoldii* and *Amorphophallus titanum*) contains compounds that are toxic if ingested and can cause irritation upon contact. Answering the critical question, is the stinking corpse lily poisonous, requires distinguishing between these species and understanding their unique defense mechanisms.