Botanic Garden plant collection curator Stephen Bishop checks the progress of the garden's rare corpse flower, expected to bloom soon. Photo: Linda Robertson
A rare corpse plant is ''keeping its own timetable'' as it goes through the process of producing its first bloom since arriving at the Dunedin Botanic Garden 10 years ago.
As the process advances, staff at the garden are keeping a close eye on the plant (Amorphophallus titanium), known for
producing the world's largest flower with a nauseating smell, comparable to rotting flesh.
The plant's blooming process was ''well advanced'', but staff were unsure when the flower would actually bloom.
''It keeps its own timetable,'' garden team leader Alan Matchett said yesterday.
The covering sheath had fallen away exposing the ''frilly part'' of the bloom, and the central spadix which, he said was ''growing rapidly''.
