This month, we were surprised to find this interesting plant blooming at Zoe's Resort! An expert in the field has identified it as Amorphophallus yaoi, which is the same genus as the well-known corpse flower in the Arum family.
The long spike is called the spadix while the large, leaf-like bract is called the spathe. This plant attracts pollinators with its brightly colored spathe as well as other unique adaptations. When in bloom, several species of the Amorphophallus genus resemble decaying meat by giving off heat and emitting a funky smell. This is because they're pollinated by flies and beetles, which are insects that are attracted to dead animals. The blooming period is pretty short, so the stench only lasts a few days.
These plants can take years to bloom while they store enough energy in their underground corm. The largest corm belongs to the corpse flower, or titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), which can weigh around 70-90 kg (154-200 pounds) [1] and can take up to 7-10 years to begin its next bloom cycle [2].
The spadix is full
of many small flowers
The most exciting part is that Amorphophallus yaoi is a newly described species and has been documented on Panay and Romblon Islands [3]. There's so much more to learn about the life of this incredible plant!
Thank you to Brandon Huber, a PhD student in Horticultural Sciences, for helping identify the Amorphophallus yaoi and for sharing his knowledge.
References:
[1] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2018) Corm. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/corm
[2] Chicago Botanic Garden. (2020) Frequently Asked Questions About the Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum). Chicago Botanic Garden. https://www.chicagobotanic.org/titan/faq
[3] Hetterscheid, W. & Medecilo, M. (2020) New species of Amorphophallus (Araceae) in the Philippines and an updated key. Blumea Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography. DOI: 10.3767/blumea.2020.65.01.01