Foul stench at Gustavus as 'corpse flower' blooms
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There's a foul stench at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.
A college spokesman says "Perry" the corpse flower began to open - and smell - around 11 p.m. Thursday. They expect Perry will be fully open sometime Friday.
The rare flower, with the scientific name of titan arum, emits a pungent odor that's been likened to rotting flesh. The stench helps attract pollinating insects that normally feed on carrion. It's native to the rain forests of Sumatra, Indonesia.
It's on display in the Gustavus biology department greenhouse in the Nobel Hall of Science. Visiting hours will be 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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More than 7,000 people came to see and smell the corpse flower when it first bloomed in 2007.
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Online: http://gustavus.edu/biology/titanarum
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)