#December 12, 1912
#OTD In The #Chattanooga #News:
"Q. What is the largest #Flower in the world?
A. Arnold's #Rafflesia - Discovered in #Sumatra (1818). The entire flower measures about a yard across & weighs about 15 lbs."
The Rafflesia arnoldii honors two men: Sir Stamford #Raffles (#Expedition #Leader) & his friend, James Arnold (#Naturalist & #Botanist), who died shortly after #Discovering the #Putrid #Bloom, which looks & smells like rotting flesh - thus the name #Corpse or #Meat flower.