By Chris Cosci

"This was well worth the wait in line. More thrilling than a ride at an amusement park, where you can wait just as long." This was the reaction of Anita Evans, one of thousands of people who visited the Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, CA recently to view the blooming of the world's largest flower - Amorphophallus titanum, or "Titan Arum." Evans waited in line for 45 minutes to view this marvel of the botanical world, which is considered by many to be one of the greatest highlights of natural history exploration.

Evans' reaction raises a few concerns. First of all, she is under the impression that 45 minutes is a typical waiting time for amusement park rides. Anybody who has been to an amusement park lately knows that you can stand on line for at least two hours before even seeing the ride, at which point you realize you've been standing on the line for the concession stand. Seriously, there are some amusement parks where you can wait up to three hours for a ride that lasts approximately 14 seconds, half of that time being devoted to park attendants checking the security bars and telling you to keep your arms and legs in the vehicle at all times.

Another issue is that Evans believes viewing this plant is more thrilling than an amusement park ride. I have been to many botanical gardens before, and I don't think "thrilling" is quite the word I would use to describe my reaction.

So, what makes this plant so amazing? Well, for one thing, its scientific name "amorphophallus" comes from Latin, meaning "shapeless phallus." If that doesn't arouse one's interest, I don't know what would. Yes, that pun was intended.

In addition to its fascinating name, the flower's bloom can measure 7-12 feet in height, and a mature leaf can measure 20 feet in height; besides being the world's largest flower, it's also raising a lot of interest because it has only bloomed 15 times since its first display in 1937. So, this blooming is causing quite a stir in the botany world.

However, there is one other feature to this amazing flower that is of great interest. Like many flowers, the Titan Arum emits an odor to attract insects for pollination. The particular odor for the Titan Arum attracts carrion beetles, an insect species that feeds on decomposing plants and animals. As you can probably imagine, carrion beetles are not exactly attracted to pleasant aromas.

As it turns out, the odor that emanates from the Titan Arum is very pungent. Dennis Guylas, a man who proudly admits his admiration for all things bizarre, claims that the smell reminds him of an unventilated high school locker. How pleasant. This quality of the Titan Arum has earned it the nickname the Corpse Flower. It's not quite as catchy as Black-Eyed Susan, but it has a certain flair to it.

So, thousands of people are lining up to see a large flower that can knock people unconscious with its scent. It's interesting and disturbing all at the same time. Maybe I'll reconsider my standpoint on Evans' use of the word "thrilling."

The good news is that this flower is not native to the United States (it was discovered in Indonesia). Since they bloom so rarely, there is not a lot of information about wild Corpse Flowers. This means that, at least for the time being, you're not going to see them popping up at your local florist, which is especially good for guys who know nothing about flowers. I don't think their girlfriends would appreciate a gift that smells like rotting flesh - just a thought.