Foul-smelling flower attracts crowds

A rancid smelling flower has attracted crowds after it started to open up.

The 'corpse flower' began blooming last week and hundreds of people have visited the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch, New Zealand, to see the odious plant.

The unusual plant - which typically takes seven to 12 years to reach flowering size - gives off such a bad smell that people have exposed to it have been known to faint.

It only blooms for 48 hours, hence the large crowds.

Botanic Gardens director Wolfgang Boop said: "This is a very rare and unusual plant and we've had people travelling from all across the region to see it. It is a fascinating plant and people want to experience it for themselves."

"There is no saying exactly how long the plant will flower for but the advice we have is that it is likely to be about 24 to 48 hours."

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