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World's Largest Flower Mystery Solved

Posted by timothy on from the a-bit-of-it-anyhow dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "The world's largest flower, called Rafflesia, can have a diameter up to one meter and can weigh up to 10 kilograms. It also smells like rotting flesh. Discovery News tells us that its genetic roots have been uncovered and that this plant that smells so bad is related to delicate flowers such as poinsettias or violets. The researchers analyzed the Rafflesia's mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which corresponds to chloroplast DNA. The mtDNA studies revealed that the large, stinky flower is related to more normal-sized, pleasantly fragrant posies, like passionflowers, and other members of the order Malpighiales. This overview contains more details and references. It also includes two photographs revealing the size of the rafflesia when held by a man, as well as details of the flower itself."

4 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. Darn Star Wars... by FooAtWFU · · Score: 2, Informative

    How many people are going to confuse and/or joke about mitochondria versus midichlorians? Too many. =b

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  2. Too see one by a5cii · · Score: 3, Informative

    If you would like to see one of these plants there is One in the Winter Gardens, Aberdeen, Scotland. It blooms about once every 9 years.

  3. Amorphophallus Titanum by Muad'Dave · · Score: 2, Informative

    What about this monster?

    What a name - it means, roughly, "Giant shapeless phallus". Could this describe Darl, too?

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  4. Re:Too much of a good thing... by cblack · · Score: 2, Informative

    By the time Ambegris is ready to be used in perfume, it has been floating around in the ocean for ~10 years. By this time, the odor would certainly not make one vomit and may even be considered pleasant.
    Also, I wanted to mention that some ingredients used in perfumery are not present to provide olfactory enjoyment. For example, civit and castor oils are used as a fixitive in the base of the perfume to preserve the natural floral essences. Ambergris also serves this purpose, but happens to add to the olfactory experience as well.
    Only the oldest fragrance houses still use these methods. Most companies have replaced the use of animal ingredients with synthetics.