What is the titan arum?
Q: What is the titan arum?
A: The titan arum is a flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world.
Q: How does the size of the titan arum's inflorescence compare to that of the talipot palm?
A: The inflorescence of the titan arum is not as large as that of the talipot palm, but it is unbranched while the inflorescence of the talipot palm is branched.
Q: Why is the titan arum called a 'carrion flower', or 'corpse flower', or 'corpse plant'?
A: The titan arum is called a 'carrion flower', or 'corpse flower', or 'corpse plant' because its odor resembles the smell of a decomposing animal.
Q: What is the function of the smell of the titan arum?
A: The function of the smell of the titan arum is to attract insect pollinators.
Q: Do both male and female flowers grow in the same inflorescence of the titan arum?
A: Yes, both male and female flowers grow in the same inflorescence of the titan arum.
Q: How long does the female flower of the titan arum last?
A: The female flower of the titan arum only lasts (or is "receptive") about 12 to 24 hours.
Q: Who invented the popular name "titan arum"?
A: The popular name "titan arum" was invented by the broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough for his BBC series, The Private Life of Plants, in which the flowering and pollination of the plant were filmed for the first time.
