TEMPO.CO, Bengkulu - A three-meter high corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) blooms perfectly in a rare breeding location owned by farmers in Kepahiang, Bengkulu.

“The flower petals began to open in the morning and is currently in perfect bloom,” said Holidin, a breeder of the rare Amorphophallus Titanum, Wednesday, July 19.

He says the corpse flower releases an unpleasant odor when it fully blooms; fully opening the petals. The flower is endemic to the Sumatra forest, which has been visited by people in the past few days.

“Before the flowers bloom perfectly, we have to open the area to the public,” he said.

The flower is located in the back of the Protected Forest of Bukit Daun of Kepahiang, precisely on the side of the road to Kepahiang and Curup, about 52 kilometers from the city of Bengkulu.

Holidin, along with his brother who manages the family’s breeding ground, has informed the residents of the area of the blooming flowers by creating banners and placing them on the highway.

“We open the area to the public free of cost - only accepting their voluntary donations,” he said.

Amorphophallus titanum, the locals call it kibut flower, is a plant of the Taro tribe (Araceae), endemic to Sumatra, Indonesia.

The kibut flower is often called the corpse flower as the flower releases an odor which smells like a rotting carcass. The pungent odor attracts the beetles, which pollinate the flower.

The area is also home to Amorphophallus gigas, Amorphophallus variabilis, Amorphophallus faeonifolius, and several other types of Rafflesia arnoldii.

REUTERS