Question 1

True or false: The corpse flower's stench is designed to attract flies and beetles for pollination.

Accepted Answer

True. Its rotting flesh smell mimics carrion, luring carrion beetles and flesh flies, which are its primary pollinators in the wild.

Question 2

True or false: The corpse flower is native to the rainforests of South America.

Accepted Answer

False. It is native only to the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia, not South America.

Question 3

True or false: The corpse flower is the largest unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom.

Accepted Answer

True. It holds the record for the world's largest unbranched inflorescence, sometimes reaching over 10 feet tall.

Question 4

True or false: Corpse flowers can take up to a decade to store enough energy for a single bloom.

Accepted Answer

True. They require massive energy reserves, often accumulating for 7 to 10 years, to produce one short-lived bloom.

Question 5

True or false: Corpse flowers bloom every year, usually in spring.

Accepted Answer

False. They bloom infrequently, often every 7 to 10 years, and the bloom lasts only 24 to 48 hours before collapsing.

Question 6

True or false: Corpse flowers produce heat to help spread their smell over longer distances.

Accepted Answer

True. They generate heat up to 90°F, creating a thermal updraft that disperses the odor more effectively across the jungle.

Question 7

True or false: The corpse flower's scientific name means 'giant deformed phallus' in Latin.

Accepted Answer

False. Its scientific name is Amorphophallus titanum, which translates to 'giant misshapen penis' in Greek, not Latin.

Question 8

True or false: Touching a corpse flower can cause skin irritation due to its toxic sap.

Accepted Answer

False. While its smell is offensive, the plant is not known to have toxic sap or cause skin irritation to humans.

Corpse Flower Trivia Questions