Five massive petals covered in spots. One enormous center chamber. And a scent that’s…
err… well, let’s just say it’s definitely unforgettable. Introducing rafflesia, the
gigantic parasitic jungle plant. Hi, I’m Tasha the Amazon and you’re watching
Floralogic. Rafflesia arnoldii is the largest flower on earth. These guys weigh up to 7
Kg and can stretch up to a meter across. Now, maybe some of you are thinking, hey,
isn’t a flower like, say, the titan arum way taller? Sure, but technically, that plant
is made up of many tiny flowers. Special thanks to Fabulous for sponsoring
this video. Stick around to find out how the Fabulous app can help you build better habits
and achieve your goals!
Rafflesia arnoldii is the biggest single flower. A lone beauty.
Rafflesia is extremely rare, and only grows in the jungles of Southeast Asia. In Indonesia,
where rafflesia is the national flower, it’s referred to as “padma”, a term that originates
from the Sanskrit word for “lotus”. In Sumatra they call it “krubut”, which means
“great flower”. The monster flower got its scientific name
from Joseph Arnold, the first european botanist to have found one and made it back to Europe
with his notes intact. Arnold named the flower “Rafflesia arnoldii”, after himself, of
course, and the leader of the expedition, Sir Stamferd Raffles.
Though it was actually Arnold’s Malay guide who pointed out the plant to Arnold on the
expedition, despite sharing none of the naming glory. Typical.
The name “Great Flower” is well earned. Rafflesia has no stems, leaves, or roots.
It only grows as a parasitic plant inside vines on the jungle floor.
Specifically one type of woody vine in the genus Tetrastigma. The parasite threads its
way through its host vine’s tissue, stealing its water and nutrients to grow stronger.
When a bud finally manages to break through the vine’s bark, it develops for about ten
months. By the time it’s ready to bloom, the bud
generally measures twelve inches in diameter. The largest bud on record was 43 cm across.
That’s as big as a beach ball! Finally, the flower blooms. In a process that
takes several hours, the fleshy lobes unfold, and BAM! The rafflesia in all its glory!
Bloomed rafflesia has five leathery, red spotted petals.
They converge into a center chamber that resembles a massive pot. Hmmm, is anyone else getting
Vileplum vibes? The center is large enough to hold 6 liters of water. Inside the opening
are a bunch of spiky protrusions called proboscis. Researchers still aren’t exactly sure what
the proboscis do, but one theory is that they produce heat to intensify the plant’s stench.
Oh, I’m sorry, did I forget to mention the rafflesia stinks?
Rafflesia mimics the smell of rotting dead animals, just like the titan arum, or “the
corpse flower”. The leathery red warty petals mimic flesh.
And little hairs inside its center completes the illusion.
But why would you wanna smell and look like a decomposing carcass? Um, hellooo! Flies!
Carrion flies are immediately attracted to the male rafflesia’s stench and colour.
They buzz their way into the center hoping to find food and a place to lay their eggs.
Once they’re inside, a sticky mass of pollen is deposited on their backs.
In a perfect world, the flies would then transport the pollen from the male plant to a nearby
female plant, for cross pollination. But that plan only works if there’s a nearby female
rafflesia. And since the flower is so rare, that barely ever happens.
It doesn’t help that the flower doesn’t live very long. Less than a week after its
bloom, the rafflesia rots and dies, leaving behind behind a slimy black mass. Kinda creepy
looking, but, then again, this is a parasite. The rafflesia was always rare, but now it’s
really, really rare. And endangered. Of its 28 known species, two haven’t been since
the 1940s. Here’s why. Most buds never reach maturity or even get
to bloom. They’re often poached or harvested by locals, either to serve as a delicious
Thai delicacy or to use in herbalism. Many believe that rafflesia helps cure fevers,
pain, and acts as a sexual stimulant. Cuz nothing sets the mood like the scent of
rotting flesh. But the main reason rafflesia is on the brink
of extinction is deforestation. Humans are destroying its rainforests. And if its host
vine gets destroyed, it has nowhere to grow. Hinging your species’ survival on just one
type of SouthEast Asian vine? Pretty risky. But, historically, that vine has fed the flower
very well. So well that rafflesia evolved into the biggest flower on Earth.
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