Jan 31 2009
The Why and How of a Starfish Flower
Above is the bud of a starfish flower I photographed near our goldfish pond. When fully blossomed it resembles . . . a starfish. And it stinks. Literally. The plant is a carrion flower and -
these flowers smell like a dead animal, but their petals are typically flesh-colored, often with a dense covering of hair. The orchids Bulbophyllum and Pterostylis contain spot patterns or “warts” that imitate clusters of flies already enjoying a meal, and movable parts in the flower that catapult or maneuver the fly into a position of contact with the pollen masses (pollinia) or receptive stigma. [source]
Now why would Gawd create a stinking flower? Oops, bad question. As outlined in this post, “how” is the more scientific inquiry. How is it this stinking flower came to be? From an evolutionary perspective, one can connect the dots leading to this flower. From a theological perspective, one can’t say much.
And speaking of evolution, the Carnival of Evolution #8 has been posted.
