A rare corpse flower has been spotted again in Singapore, after last being seen more than one year ago.
The wildlife expert who saw it declined to reveal its exact location, other than that it was seen at a “nature spot”.
Photo courtesy of John Lee
A previous sighting in Sembawang in 2021 went viral, leading to the flower’s removal.
Speaking to MS News, Mr John Lee, the founder of Wildlife Asia (Singapore), said he saw the bloom on Monday (10 June) between 6.45pm and 7pm.
After receiving a tip-off, he drove to the location to get a good photo of the rare sighting.
About 10 feet (3m) away, he started to smell the flower, which is known for its pungent odour.
That was also because the wind was blowing towards him, carrying the smell across and prompting him to try to avoid it, he said.
Eventually, he managed to take stunning photos of the flower in all its glory.
Photo courtesy of John Lee
According to the National Parks Board (NParks), the corpse flower’s scientific name is Amorphophallus titanum.
It’s called the corpse flower due to its powerful smell akin to rotting flesh that lures flesh flies, sweat bees, and carrion beetles for pollination.
It blooms only once every few years for just a few days, which makes catching one in full bloom a rare event indeed.
The corpse flower was last sighted on 26 Feb 2023, also by Mr Lee.
He successfully captured beautiful images of it at about 6pm in a “Central District nature spot”, he told MS News.
Photo courtesy of John Lee
The nature enthusiast tried to take a whiff of the flower but he almost fainted, he said.
The smell could be detected as far as 2 feet (61cm) away, he added, if the wind direction is right.
As he noticed that nobody was watching over the unique plant, he was concerned that revealing the exact location of the flower would result in it being taken away again.
Thus, he would only disclose that he saw it at a nature spot in the Central District of Singapore.
Similarly, he also declined to reveal the location of his latest sighting.
Sadly, a corpse flower that was seen by the walkway of an HDB block in Sembawang in 2021 was short-lived.
That’s because photos of the flower went viral on the Internet, with even MP Lim Wee Kiak heading down to take a photo with it.
Source: Dr Lim Wee Kiak on Facebook
Just hours after gaining online fame, the bloom was gone, having apparently been cut off at the stalk.
Source: Taka Chia on Facebook
Netizens and residents were upset by the sudden disappearance, with nature lovers advised to withhold information about these sightings’ locations in future.
Also read: Corpse Flower Spotted Again In S’pore, Found At Central District Nature Spot
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Featured image courtesy of John Lee.
The authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required, MFA said.
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