The World's Largest Flower - Rafflesia

The Rafflesia is the world's largest flowering plant. It resides in the rainforests of Bengkulu, Indonesia, Sumatra Island, Malaysia, Borneo, and Singapore. Being such a gigantic flower, you would think the scent it produces will be quite pleasant. However, the Rafflesia actually gives off a smell very similar to rotting flesh. It is believed that this scent attracts flies but other unwanted creatures.

The Rafflesia is a parasitic plant that mostly grows on the Tetrastigma grape vine. It does not produce any visible stem, roots, or leaves. The Rafflesia also does not have chlorophyll, feeding mainly off the nutrients of its host. Even so, the Rafflesia is still considered a vascular plant.

The many species of Rafflesia plants are currently considered endangered species. With tropical forests in SouthEast Asia dwindling, the plant is becoming extremely rare. There have been many conservation efforts by environmentalists such as attempts at preserving the forests of Borneo and Sumatra and also attempts to recreate the environment of the species in a bid to stimulate the recovery of the population. Since the flowering buds of the Rafflesia are used to help mothers who have recently given birth to recover, overcollection of this medicine are also harming the Rafflesia plants. To help counter this effect, farmers who have Rafflesia plants on their property are encouraged to save the flower and charge a small fee for tourists who would like to look at this rare plant.