The University of Rhode Island’s stinky ‘‘corpse flower’’ has bloomed, the first time such a specimen has flowered in the state. The university said the plant, which has a distinctive odor some describe as decomposing flesh, began blossoming Saturday night and reached its peak late Sunday morning. The plants, which have the largest flowers on Earth, are native to Sumatra and bloom for only 24 to 48 hours every four to six years. The university got the plant, which it named Audrey, in 2009. More than 15,000 people visited the greenhouse at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston between June 15 and June 20 to see Morticia, another corpse flower.
South Kingstown, R.I.