Page 8 - IAV Digital Magazine #533

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
By Ben Hooper
Oct. 29 (UPI) -- A rare flower nick- named the "penis plant" bloomed at a Netherlands university's botanical garden, a rare occurrence in Europe.
The University of Leiden said the penis plant, known scientifi- cally as Amorphophallus decus-silvae, blooms only once every two decades, and the university's botanical garden hasn't had one of the plants bloom since 1997.
The flower is known as a "penis plant" due to the phallic shape of its bloom.
The school said it is rare for the Indonesia-native plants to bloom in Europe due to the vastly differ- ent climate and weather condi- tions.
The plant that
bloomed this month is 6 years old, and researchers noticed it was budding in mid- September. The university made arrangements to allow the public to see the bloom- ing flower and experience its famously foul odor, which often is compared to rotting flesh.
The Amorphophallus decus-silvae is a smaller cousin of
the Amorphophallus titanum, more commonly known as a "corpse flower."
A corpse flower went on
display in May of this year at an abandoned gas station in Alameda, Calif. Gardener Solomon Leyva grew the plant and brought it to the closed gas station so the public could view it.
Japanese Start-up Takes Hoverbike For A Spin Around Racetrack
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/10/29/japan- XTURISMO-hover-bike-Fuji- Speedway/7491635528165/
By Ben Hooper
Oct. 29 (UPI) -- A Japanese start-up unveiled its single- rider hoverbike with a video showing the airborne vehi- cle circling a track.
The XTURISMO Limited Edition Model was taken for a test drive at the Fuji Speedway Racing Course in Oyama and a video of the
flight was posted to the company's YouTube account.
The bike features a com- bustion engine and four bat- tery powered motors that allow it to move at speeds of up to 60 mph.
XTURISMO said the bike is available n Japan for $680,000.
Dutch University's Rare ‘Penis Plant' Blooms