Titan Arum, or Corpse Flower

This particular specimen was unfortunately not yet in bloom.  The Corpse Flower also known as the Titan Arum is best known for the smell it emits when in bloom.  It only blooms for 24 to 48 hours and it emits a smell that can range from rotting garbage to a dead corpse.  When I viewed it on Wednesday, the petals known as the spathe were wrapped around a very large hollow stem known as a spadix.  On the outside the spathe were green and you could just see the deep burgundy fray of the interior portion of the spathe.  The corpse flower not only emits a rotting meat fragrance when the spathe finally opens.  The flower's deep red or burgundy color and texture mimic the texture and appearance of rotting meat.  Moreover, during bloom the spadix heats up to the about 98 degrees Farenheit, which helps the perfume permeate the air and further seals the illusion of rotting meat.  All these attributes during bloom will then attract carrion-eating beetles and Flesh Flies that it turn pollinate the Corpse Flower in its native tropical forest clime in Sumatra.

After viewing the almost three foot Corpse flower personally, I have been following the daily blog about its progress on the Friend of the Greenhouse at  www.fotgh.com.  The blog has been updated faithfully by the Greenhouse Manager, Martin Marhoot.  Early last week the flower debunked experts by staying closed on the day they had predicted for it to open.  It is further being perplexing by given not a rancid odor but one quite sweet and familiar – that of chocolate!  This morning, which is Friday, July 3^rd as I write this, It started to emit this odor.  The spadix also increased in girth and it looks now like the spathes will relax and open just in time for fourth of July  What kind of scent will waft through Greenhouse is now up for debate.

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A pure beauty — your friendly Cathartes aura. a.k.a Turkey Vulture

When most people hear vulture, they think of a big ugly bird found in the desert, waiting for something to die, circling, circling… In reality, the Turkey Vulture is a local species, and is one of the more common birds we see soaring the skies of the Bay Area.

While we interviewed Dawn Manning about the Turkey Vulture, there were quite a few "colorful" facts we learned: The Turkey Vulture has no vocal organs – they can only grunt or hiss, although they usually stay silent. They do not build nests – they lay their eggs directly on the ground in caves, crevices, burrows, hollow logs, under fallen trees, or even in abandoned buildings. While they have few natural predators, their main form of defense is vomiting. The foul smelling substance deters most creatures, and will also sting if the offending animal is close enough to get it on them.

Luckily, this pretty lady didn’t seem to mind the camera and all the people; I might even go as far as saying she enjoyed the attention. You never know… yesterday, a wildlife ambassador; today, a star on QUEST; tomorrow, a Hollywood superstar??

Take a visit to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek, and say hello to the Turkey Vulture – some day you might be able to say, "I knew her when…!"

Watch "Cool Critters: Turkey Vultures" online.

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