Carrion Flower

[Orbea Varigata]
The large flat open flowers produce a strong and offensively foetid smell that deceives flies into thinking there may be dead meat around worth investigating.
The flies move from flower to flower in the hope that there may be somewhere to lay their eggs, but do little more than successfully transfer pollen from one plant to the next.

Our two Jack Russell terriers are intrigued by the odour that surrounds the area of the plant table where this bloom stands.

#176/2021