Chapter 1
The chemistry of stinky
Chapter 2
The ultimate waiting game
Chapter 3
Tricks, traps, and tiny helpers
Chapter 4
From Sumatra to the spotlight
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret life of the world's stinkiest flower
Ch 3 · Tricks, traps, and tiny helpers
futura Corpse Flower Pollination
Warming up its giant spike, it tricks the beetles inside its stinky trap!
futura Receptive female flowers open the first night, then close on day two as male flowers open to dust
Fun Fact
Seed delivery: Rhinoceros hornbills are the primary seed dispersers of the corpse flower, carrying the seeds miles away in their digestive tracts.
Glossary
pollinator (noun)
An animal or agent that transfers pollen from one flower to another, enabling fertilization. In Sumatra, the giant plant lures flesh flies as pollinators by mimicking the warmth of a carcass.
An animal or agent that transfers pollen from one flower to another, enabling fertilization. In Sumatra, the giant plant lures flesh flies as pollinators by mimicking the warmth of a carcass.
Quiz
Why do the female flowers of the corpse flower mature a day before the male flowers?
Quiz
What happens to the trapped insects once the male flowers release their pollen on the second day?