Amazing Giant Flowers of Indonesia

The presence of a rare flower in Sumatra and Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia was the main attraction. Flowers are a characteristic odor, people even called carrion flower. However, seeing a very large size makes a lot of people interested to see it directly.

Padma giant (Rafflesia arnoldii) are obligate parasites of plants known for having very large flowers, even the largest flower in the world. He grew up in vines network (liana) Tetrastigma and do not have leaves that can do not photosynthesis. This plant is endemic on the island of Sumatra, particularly the southern part (Bengkulu, Jambi and South Sumatra). Kerinci Seblat National Park is the main conservation area of this species. This species, together with other members of the genus Rafflesia, threatened status due to massive deforestation. On the island of Java to grow only one type of parasite padma, padma Rafflesia.

Flowers are not root parasites, leafless, and is not stemmed. While blooming flower diameter can reach 1 meter weighing about 11 kilograms. Flowers inhale inorganic and organic elements of the host plant Tetrastigma. The only part that could be called “plant is a network that grows on vines Tetrastigma. Flowers have five petals that surround a part that looks like the mouth of a barrel. At the bottom there is interest as part of the barbed plate, containing the stamens or pistils, depending on the sex of flowers, male or female. Animal pollinators are flies attracted by the stench of interest incurred. Interest only about one week old (5-7 days) and then wither and die. Very small percentage of fertilization, because the male flowers and female flowers rarely bloom at the same time in a week, if there are flies that come fertilize.

For 200 years plants of the genus are classified Rafflesiaceae difficult because the characteristics of the body that are not public. Based on the DNA research by botanical experts at Harvard University recently, rafflesia incorporated into the family Euphorbiaceae, a family with rubber trees and cassava. But this is still not well-publicized.

You are interested to see the flowers RAFLESIA? Please come to Indonesia! (Nanang Hanif)