A sectioned bloom of Helicodiceros muscivorus, the Dead Horse arum, showing the general form of an arum inflorescence. The flowers are at bottom left. The thimble shaped structure carries the female flowers, with a ring of male anthers above. The flowers are at the base of the spadix. The spadix produces a hairy column of (dark purple) tissue that extends into the open air, and acts to attract and guide blow flies. The flies push their way down into the chamber, but cannot escape until the hairs on the spadix begin to wilt. The female flowers mature before the male flowers, ensuring cross-pollination. Flies bearing pollen will pollinate the females, but are only released from the chamber after the anthers have produced pollen, the next day. They leave with fresh pollen to pollinate the next bloom they visit. A fly that failed to escape is visible at the base of the chamber, to right.