Rafflesia / Corpse Flower
Flower of the parasitic plant Rafflesia (Rafflesia keithii), the corpse flower, Borneo. It has no stem, or leaves to produce food, instead it grows out of a vine on which it feeds. This is the worlds biggest flower, three feet across. Its success depends on deception – it mimics the dead body of a mammal, from its texture and color to the scent of rotting flesh. This attracts carrion flies, which lay eggs on dead flesh. As the fly searches inside the flower, the flower attaches a gloopy drop of pollen to the flies back, which it will carry to the next Rafflesia flower to pollinate it. | Credit: BBC
The rafflesia, or corpse flower, is a species of flowering plant that is found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, specifically in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, the rafflesia grows best in areas with high humidity and plenty of rainfall. The plant is notable for its large flowers, which can grow up to 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter. The flowers are typically a deep red color, with black spots, and are known to give off an incredibly foul smell. Some people say that it smells like rotting flesh, while others say that it smells like a mixture of rotting vegetation and manure. Either way, the scent of this flower is definitely not pleasant! In fact, the smell is so bad that it can actually be nauseating for some people.
Interestingly, the corpse flower’s odor is thought to serve a purpose. The stench is used to attract flies and other insects, which then help to pollinate the flower, allowing the plant to reproduce. So, while the smell may be repulsive to us humans, it's actually quite important for the survival of this species!
While rafflesia flowers are large and impressive, they are also quite rare. The specific time of year when rafflesia flowers bloom depends on the species, but it is typically between late fall and early winter. However, it generally takes 7-10 years for a plant to first bloom, and thereafter, it tends to only bloom once every four or five years. Furthermore, even when they do bloom, Rafflesia flowers only bloom for around 48 hours. So if you want to see a rafflesia flower in person, you'll need to plan your trip around its blooming schedule, and maybe get a bit lucky.
