World`s rarest and largest flower blooms in Oz

Melbourne: One of the world``s rarest and largest flowers has bloomed in Cairns, in far north Queensland.

The rare spectacle of a titan arum in full bloom at the Cairns Botanic Gardens has left flower lovers spell-bound, reports Cairns.com

Nursery staff was put on alert when one of their huge titan arum plants showed signs of an imminent bloom more than a week ago.

The first plant failed to open, but their patience was rewarded when a second titan arum in the fernery unfurled to reveal a large, deep red bloom on Monday morning.

Curator David Warmington said staff had been flooded with inquiries about the rare Sumatran flower.

ANI