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Old 12-10-2007, 12:39 AM posted to alt.binaries.pictures.gardens
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2007
Posts: 437
Default Stapelia gigantica - even closer


"Bob Williams" wrote in message
...
Wendy7 wrote:
These flowers are supposed to have a rotten meat type odor but I
did not sniff!
Cheers Wendy

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waaaay Cool!
Does the plant trap and digest the flies like a Venus fly trap or does it
just attract the flies with its odor?


It's a brilliant plant, it attracts the flies, which are supposed to
pollinate it however I have never seen anything like a seed pod. The flies
hang around as you see, lay their eggs near the centre (after having
ostensibly pollinated the flower) , the fly larva hatch - and starve to
death because there is no carrion for them to eat!

I don't think it smells so bad. It's an odd smell but not actually
unpleasant, unlike, say, a stinkhorn fungus which really does smell like
s**t.

The flower is very beautiful, congratulations Wendy.

someone