Amorphophallus plicatus

Amorphophallus plicatus, commonly known as the Wrinkled Giant Arum, is a species of flowering plant in the Araceae family. Native to Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia, this plant is renowned for its striking appearance and unique reproductive structures.

The name "plicatus" refers to the distinctive wrinkled or pleated texture of the plant's leaves. The large, compound leaf is divided into multiple leaflets arranged in a palmate manner. The leaf emerges from a tuberous underground corm, which serves as a storage organ for nutrients.

Amorphophallus plicatus is famous for its flowers of a plantinflorescence, which consists of a tall, erect fleshy spike of minute flowersspadix surrounded by a a sheathing modified leaf partly enclosing flowersspathe. The a sheathing modified leaf partly enclosing flowersspathe can vary in color, typically ranging from greenish to reddish-brown, and it may feature patterns or markings. The fleshy spike of minute flowersspadix bears small, densely arranged flowers that emit a strong, unpleasant odor to attract pollinators.

This species follows a unique flowering pattern known as anthesis, where the flowers of a plantinflorescence opens and remains receptive to pollinators for only a short period, usually less than 48 hours. This phenomenon adds to the intrigue and rarity of witnessing its flowering process.

If you like Amorphophallus plicatus, you might also like Pouteria durlandii or Amorphophallus paeoniifolius