Two Flowers Called “Corpse Flower”
Field note: Rafflesia and the titan arum share a nickname, a smell and very little else.
By Biosphere Editorial Team · 2026-07-17
Two very different plants from the rainforests of Southeast Asia are both called “corpse flower”. Both smell of rotting meat to attract carrion flies and beetles as pollinators.
| Rafflesia | Titan arum | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Rafflesia arnoldii | Amorphophallus titanum |
| Record | Largest single flower | Largest unbranched inflorescence |
| Size | About 1 m across | Up to about 3 m tall |
| Leaves | None — it is a parasite of Tetrastigma vines | One huge leaf between blooms |
Explore both in the catalog: Rafflesia and the titan arum.