Unlike many varieties of flowers, the Rafflessia blossom is not a suitable variety for placing in a bouquet: Stinking corpse lily is the common name for Rafflesia arnoldii. An oddity in the plant kingdom, Rafflesia flowers have no stems or leaves. This flowering plant grows in the rain forests of Asia and has many interesting characteristics.
Parasitic Behavior
Rafflessia is a rare type of parasitic plant that takes its nutrients from a host plant. Although it has no roots, this plant produces small filaments that resemble fine threads. Tetrastigma is the host vine that provides the food source for Rafflessia plants.
Growth
Each mature blossom produces millions of seeds. For this plant to germinate, the seed must find its way to the host vine. Ants, tree shrews, squirrels and wild pigs help distribute the seeds. A seed that lodges in a moist crevice along the tetrastigma vine can germinate and penetrate the adjacent vine tissue. As the cells divide, a large bud forms that later opens into a single flower. The flowers are either male or female. Pollination occurs when a flying insect enters the chamber of a male flower and transfers the pollen to a female flower.
Size
Rafflessia blossoms are the largest flowers in the world. The single blossom can reach as big as 3 feet wide and weight as much as 15 pounds. It has a single row of red petals that surround a wide, open center. The flowers are red with tan spots. The raised spots cover the upper surface of the petals, giving the blossoms a speckled appearance.
Aroma
Rafflesia arnoldii produce an aroma that resembles spoiled meat or dead carcasses. This unpleasant odor plays an important role in the survival of this plant species. The strong odor draws bluebottle flies. As these flies travel from male flowers to female flowers, they assist in the pollination process. As with many other varieties of rain forest plants, Rafflesia arnoldii risks extinction.
Tags: rafflesia, flower, Rafflesia arnoldii, this plant, host vine
