Live webcam tracking blooming of Denver corpse flower

DENVER, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A live webcam is tracking the progress of the "corpse flower" at Denver Botanic Gardens ahead of its expected Monday blooming.

The corpse flower, aka Amorphophallus titanum -- Latin for a giant, misshapen penis -- had been expected to bloom during the weekend, but did not drop any of its leaves until early Monday.

Officials said the more than 5-foot-tall plant, named for the stench it gives off during its 48-hour blooming period, was dubbed "Stinky" by garden workers.

"It uses that odor to attract [beetles and flies] that then pollinate the flowers inside," curator Nick Snakenberg told KCNC-TV.

Stinky was measured as growing 3/4 of an inch from Saturday to Sunday, a good sign that blooming is near.

A live webcam was set up on YouTube by KUSA-TV to track the progress of the 15-year-old plant's blooming.