Critically Endangered Voodoo Lily That Smells Like a Corpse Discovered in Philippines

Scientists have just lately documented an extremely uncommon and unknown plant that grows in the woods of Bicol, Philippines. The Amorphophallus caudatus is a member of the voodoo lily family and the gabi plant, whose leaves are used to make the Bicolano delicacy laing.

Maverick Tamayo and researchers from the Philippine Taxonomic Initiative found the voodoo lily from Bicol, one of the most unusual plant species in the Philippines, during a field reconnaissance operation in the woods of Camarines Norte in 2020.

"It's one of the plant kingdom's tallest and strangest flowers," Tamayo tells Esquire Philippines. Instead of pleasant perfume, the bloom gives out a carrion odor comparable to a decomposing body.

Smelly Flowering Season

"During the flowering season, several of the plants in this genus produce a carrion odor. According to Tamayo, 16 of the 17 species known to exist in the Philippines are endemic, meaning they can only be found in the Philippines and nowhere else on the planet.

According to Tamayo, the bloom has a strong, disagreeable odor that attracts pollinators like flies and beetles.

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Small Find

Unfortunately, during their fieldwork, Tamayo and his colleagues did not locate as many members of the species.

In a study published in the Nordic Journal of Botany, Tamayo and his co-authors noted, "The plant is unusual in the area and was only spotted at one site in the forest."

Rare Endangered Flowers

Tamayo and his team assigned it the conservation category of Critically Endangered, based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) criteria, due to its rarity and limited distribution in the region. There were less than 250 adult individuals found, with an occurrence area of less than 100 square kilometers and an occupancy area of less than 10 square kilometers.

The scientists noted, "Anthropogenic disturbances like coconut plantations in the lower half of the region are considered as possible risks to the species."

Tamayo isn't the first person to find uncommon plant species in the Philippines. For example, he found an ultra-rare species of fire orchid, which he dubbed fire flower, just this year.

Amorphophallus Calciola

In Bohol, Tamayo discovered a new species of voodoo lily, Amorphophallus calcicola, which he named. He thinks that by bringing these unknown and endangered animals to the public's attention, the public and government can work together to conserve their environment.

Philippine Floral Diversity

The Philippines is one of the world's 18 mega-biodiverse countries, accounting for two-thirds of the planet's biodiversity and 70 percent to 80 percent of all plant and animal species. The Philippines is home to 5% of the world's flora and ranks fifth in plant species. In addition, the nation ranks fourth in bird endemism, with at least 25 genera of plants and 49 percent of terrestrial animals covered by species endemism.

With at least 700 endangered species, the Philippines is also one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, making it one of the top worldwide conservation regions. The national list of endangered faunal species was created in 2004 and contains 42 land mammal species, 127 bird species, 24 reptile species, and 14 amphibian species. In addition, the Philippines has at least 3,214 fish species, with around 121 being indigenous and 76 being endangered. Furthermore, a nationwide list of endangered plant species was established in 2007 by an administrative order issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, showing that 99 species were severely endangered, 187 were endangered, 176 vulnerable, and 64 other threatened species.

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