New Reekie

Today I went to see ‘New Reekie’  otherwise known as Amorphophallus titanum (Titan arum), almost the largest and most smelly bloom in the world. It started to flower 2 days ago and that evening emitted a dreadful smell which would attract insects to pollinate it before it dies. The smell had gone now but we were offered tubes in which substances had been put to represent the awful odours that people were reminded of.  Most of them were revolting but they would have been attractive to some insects and beetles which like rotting flesh and this indicates its alternative name of ‘Corpse Flower.’ Its measurement was 212 cms today but when it flowered in 2015 it reached 267 cms.  When I saw this on the computer I noticed that one of the staff is taking photos of the tiny female flowers inside the spathe and she told me that the flower is now starting to close up or did she say it was getting smaller, I don’t remember, but soon it will collapse.
There is a lot of interesting information on the RBGE website including a description of its morphology and videos.