A new study on titan arum -- commonly known as the corpse flower for its smell like rotting flesh -- uncovers fundamental genetic pathways and biological mechanisms that produce heat and odorous chemicals when the plant blooms. The study provides insight into the flower's ability to warm up just before blooming through a process known as thermogenesis, an uncommon trait in plants that is not well understood. The researchers also identify a new component of the corpse flower's odor, an organic chemical called putrescine.
↧