The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1885-09-12
GIGANTIC FLOWERS,
\ Li.y Sin Feet HiSh-An Enormous
Parasite.

In an article about gigantic flowers
the Scientific american says:
Certain localities seem particularly
adapted for the development Of both
animals and plants, and in the region
including India, the islands of the In,
dian Archipelago, and outlying Austria
!:a; certain forms of the latter are found
that in the size of their fruit and flow
ers excite the greatest wonder in those
who have heheld them, and not a little
credulity in those who have not been
so fortunate.
In the Southern continent Of our own
hemisphere is found the great lily Vic
| toria regia, that created the sensation
of the time when discovered, and a
picturercccntly shown in these columns,
| representing a boy and girl standing
upon one of the leaves, gives a forcible
idea of the strength of structure of this
giant.
The Sumatra arum is a wake robin
of mammoth proportions, and it is said
that tho first European that observed
it at first refused to believe that it was
Il flower. This was before the time of
the scientific world. a party was trav-
cling through Sumatra with native
. u
into campa huge object of evidently
vegetable structure, at least six feet in
length, and endeavored to make the
| white men believe that it was n flower,
or part of one. The story, however,
was not credited, and was forgotten
until the real discovery was made by
the Italian botanist mentioned. He
found the plant growing in secluded
parts of the country, and considered it
to be most remarkable example of
vegetable growth.
Imagine, if you can, tuber five feet,
and sometimes more, in circumference;
from this growing leaves on foot stalks
ten feet in length, divided and torn by
the wind, yet covering an area of forty
five or fifty feet in circumference.
Above this lowered the gigantic flower,
impressing the beholder not only with
its size, but by fits peculiar coloring.
The central column or spadiX, that in
the wake robin is Used as q button hole
bouquet, is in this tropical cousin six
feet in height and propOrtiOnately
stout.
The spadiX from which this rose was
about three feet in diameter, of bell
shape, the edges richly crumpled and
tOothed in a fantastic manner, and COL
ored pale greenish tint upon the in
side and rich, blaak metallic purple
without.
a group of these plants would pres
sent a remarkable sight, their enormous
leaves, the large masses of color, and
the huge waving central column re-
Semblins more the creatures of some
| vivid imagination than the reality.
If we consider the diameter, the dis
covery of Sir Stamford Ratlles in the
same country is indeed greater mar
vel. The plant now known as the
Raillesia arnold is an enormous para
taing its huge dimension by literally
| absorbing the juices of its neighbOrs.
| IT is invariably found growing upon
the roots of other plants, lcatiess, root
| less itself, represented only by the
gigantic flower, from which rises an
odor sickcnin~ and fctd in the OK
| trcmc.
The plant FIRST observed was consi-
dcrcd an enormous fungus or agaric,
but it was soon shown to be flower
! Imagine Il rose blasted and swollen,
| weighing fifteen or twenty pounds, its
petals reduced to five in number, the
thickness of each being over an inch +,
each one measuring foot from the
base to the apex, and some idea can be
gained of this monstrosity of plants
| 1t measured over three feet across the
surface, and the nectary, "A vessel cap
able OF holding six quarts, was filled
With 4 rceking fluid that gave out an
odor like tainted beef, and was a trap,
containing the bodies of myriads OF in
sect victims.
The flower was first discovered on the
Mamma river, 6nmatra, where it is
| known as the HDcvii'S Sfri Box" and
is calculated TO create decided i'm
preston on the mind of tho observer.
DR.. Arnold, after whom it is also
named, says of the effect ii had upon
him when coming suddenly up it.
"To tell the truth, had ! been alone,
and had there been no witnesses,
should, ] think, have been fearful of
mentioning these dimensions OF this
flower, so much does it exceed every
flower that | have ever seen or heard
Of"
In the island OF Java another Of these
giants has been found, differing but lit
tie specifically, and being nearly az
large as its Sumatra ally.
In the South American junglos arc
found many flowers remarkable for
their extreme size. On the Magdalcna
; river there grows a climbing aristo