A rare plant known as the corpse flower bloomed in Sydney on Friday for the first time in more than a decade, emitting an odour likened to rotting flesh and delighting thousands who queued for a whiff.

A plant known as the stinky plant or the corpse flower for its putrid stink is about to bloom in Australia and has captivated the internet.

Dubbed Putricia, the titan arum plant emits a putrid smell likened to "something rotting" or "hot garbage" for 24 hours after blooming. The smell is the result of a chemical production that happens in the plant to attract pollinators.

Thousands queue in Sydney to see and smell a corpse flower bloom for the first time in 15 years :::: Sydney, Australia:: Rony Varghese, Sydney resident:: "Probably close to, like rotten egg, or like something of like sulfur,

The corpse flower exudes a fragrance evoking gym socks and rotting garbage, in the 24 hours that it blooms.