Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum)
The extremely rare Amorphophallus Titanum, also known as Bungai Bankai, or Corpse Flower in Indonesian, is only found on the island of Sumatra. It’s the largest flower in the world, reaching heights of over three meters. It also has the largest corm in the world, with some specimens weighing over 250 lbs. When in full bloom, the Titan Arum projects the sickening, putrid smell of death to attract carrion beetles, flies, and other pollinators. To help further disperse its odor, the spadix of the flower heats up to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of the tremendous amount of resources spent to produce such heat, the Titan Arum requires five years or more to store up enough energy before it can be ready to bloom again. While Titan Arums can unpredictably flower at any time of the year, supposedly they do so more frequently in the months of January and April.
Pitcher Plants (Nepenthes sp.)
Tropical pitcher plants are carnivorous plants found throughout the highlands of Kerinci. There are many, many varieties here, and some species are endemic to just one or two mountains. Inside the cup-like plant is a liquid that traps insects that have fallen inside. The hapless insects are then slowly digested and their nutrients absorbed. A few villages, like Lempur in the south, use certain kinds of pitcher plants as a container for a traditional rice dessert called lemang.
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