Visitors flock to see the ‘corpse flower’ in bloom

The smell of death would normally repel tourists, instead of attracting them.

But this week in Sydney, a city known for its beaches and vibrant food scene, crowds flocked to glimpse – and breathe – a rare flower whose scent has been lovingly compared to that of rotting flesh.

Lines of visitors gathered at the Royal Botanic Garden in the Australian city to witness the blooming of the rare and endangered flower Amorphophallus titanum, also known as the ‘corpse flower’, which opens once every a few years for just 24 hours.