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Corpse flower? #870350

Asked May 27, 2024, 11:43 PM EDT

Please help us identify this flower!

Jackson County Oregon

Expert Response

/thank you for being so patient, Kelly. I cannot help youo, unfortunately. I have spent two days looking at every single page of my 1500 page  flower encyclopedia, FLORA, and have come up with nothing that resembles your photo. A couple of things are bothersome: the foliage shown is not foliage from a bulb. The purple flower looks more like one that would come from a bulb. The long spears or spurs don't occur on any plants shown in FLORA. Spurs can appear in a wild plant member of the same family as snapdragons. That plant, which does have cream and purple petals on a rather large bloom, grows a spur from the center of the flower. However, this flower, from a Sharppoint  flavellin does not have  the same leaves as you show.  Your question has been opened to any others in our group and  hopefully they will come up with an explanation. I am sorry I cannot be of help.
marjorie n. OSU Ext. Master Gardener Replied May 31, 2024, 5:51 PM EDT
Here some more pictures, there's a lilac bush behind it and the long stem coming up from the back is another stalk that is ready to bloom soon. It stinks badly and attracts flies. It's growing at my friend's house in the Central Point area.

Thank you so much! 

Kelly
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On Fri, May 31, 2024, 2:51 PM Extension Foundation <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied May 31, 2024, 6:44 PM EDT
Unfortunately, no one, as far as I know, has ever written a guide to flowers and plants that stink. I have a rather extensive collection of illustrated books, catalogs, guides, state and province directories of native pants, etc. No where have i found or recall seeing anything like what you have.l  recommend that you take your excellent photos to the Plant Clinic at the OSU Extension offices at 269 Hanley Rd., Central Point (Rte, 238 about 3 miles northwest of Jacksonville. They are open Monday through Thursday. I hope they will be able to help you out.Have you asked the neighbor if he or she knows what it is? Sorry not to be able to help you out. 
marjorie n. OSU Ext. Master Gardener Replied June 02, 2024, 5:35 PM EDT

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