Rafflesia is a giant flower, the largest in allworld. Its glory has acquired the plant not only due to its huge size, but also due to the specific putrefactive aroma that it spreads around itself. Due to it, the flower received an additional name - a dead lotus.
Officially, Rafflesia was discovered in 1818.The flower was found in the tropics of Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra. The expedition, which discovered the plant, was headed by Sir S. Raffles. An unusual flower was first seen by the conductor, the assistant to the naturalist D. Arnold. The specimen that was found was striking in its enormous size. And the flower did not have a stem and roots. The plant was named after the name of the expedition leader and the naturalist doctor.
Rafflesia has more than thirty different species. This plant is found only in Southeast Asia. Rafflesia arnoldi flower grows only on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan.All other species are in Java, the Philippines and Malacca. Giant flowers grow only in the jungle, but because of their massive cutting down, plants can soon completely disappear from our planet.
The largest flower is Rafflesia.It belongs to parasitic species. The flower does not have a stem and leaves, but is attached to the suckers. They are inside the plant. Using suckers, Rafflesia provides itself with nutrients that are necessary for life.
The only part of the plant that is visible isflower. It sprouts through the bark. The flower grows from 60 to 100 centimeters in diameter, weight reaches eight kilograms. Color - brownish-reddish, with large white spots. The size of the flowers depends on the type of plant.
For example, the weight of arnoldi rafflesia can be up toten kilograms, and the diameter of the opened bud - up to a meter. The patm is much smaller - only thirty centimeters. The diameter of the colors of the Rafflesia rhizantes and saprias ranges from 10 to 20 cm.
Rafflesia - a flower that has five fleshypetals three centimeters thick each, which are attached to the core in the form of a bowl. In its center is a column (or column), expanding upward. There is a disk covered with spines.
Rafflesia has fruits reminiscent of hugeberries, which contain many seeds (up to four million). Of course, they are inedible, and they are easily poisoned. The plant can not reproduce itself. It helps insects and animals. They attack fruits and carry seeds through the jungle. Insects also attract a bright color and smell. When moving their legs fall into the furrow, and the seeds are stuck with sticky pollen. But even from a million spores only dozens grow.
The victims of the plant are mostly trees,in which stems or roots are damaged. In this case, no harm is done to them. Rafflesia is a giant flower, but it grows slowly. The place to which the plant sucked begins to swell a year later. This period can be eighteen months. A full bud appears after about 2-3 years.
Pollen rafflesia is mostly flies.They are attracted by the putrid smell emanating from the flower. The very same plant lives for a long time. Bud can ripen for three years, and a few more months is required to open the flower. His life after the opening of the bud lasts only a few days. Then the flower begins to rot gradually, turning into a black, shapeless mass.
After the completion of the process, a new ovary is formed.It develops for seven months. Then on the place of the ovary appears a small fruit, like a huge berry. It contains very small seeds the size of a poppy seed.
Rafflesia flower, photo of which is in thisarticle, is used in folk medicine. The plant is used for recovery after childbirth. Also, flowers are used as an aphrodisiac. Properties that are attributed to him, do not have scientific confirmation.
The inhabitants of the islands of the Philippines and Indonesia are convinced,that rafflesia (a giant flower) promotes the return of potency. Women after giving birth to return a slender figure make an extract from the kidneys of the plant. This same tool has long been used by aborigines as a hemostatic natural preparation.
In Malaysia, there is a park-reserve in whichRafflesia is grown specially. And in many varieties. For the constant attraction of tourists, the timing of the opening of the Rufflesia buds is selected so that at the height of the season one can admire the magnificent giant flower. Of course, this increases the interest of tourists to this country.
Rafflesia has a rival - amorphophallus titanic. It has the highest inflorescence. The plant produces an unpleasant odor, and the width of the flowers is as close as possible to the size of the rafflesia.
