Rafflesia

Rafflesia is a genus of flowering plants.  They are found in southeastern Asia, on the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand and the Philippines.VJR Rafflesia Reserve, Forestry Department Sabah, Malaysia They are the biggest single flowers in the world.As contrasted to the Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), which has the largest unbranched inflorescence, and the  Talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera), which has the largest branched inflorescence . In one species the flowers can be over a meter (three feet) across.

The flowers smell like a dead animal, which attracts flies. The flies, which normally lay their eggs on rotten flesh, pollinate the Rafflesia when they get inside.

Rafflesia is a parasite, and does not use chlorophyll. The plant has no stem, leaves or true roots. It lives inside vines of the genus Tetrastigma (Vitaceae). It spreads its absorptive organ, the haustorium, inside the tissue of the vine. The only part of the plant that can be seen outside the host vine is the flower.

References

Jamili Nais 2001. Rafflesia of the world. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Parks. 

Other websites

Parasitic Plant Connection: Rafflesia Gallery
Video: 'David Attenborough finds the Rafflesia' 

Category:Plants of Asia
Category:Parasitic plants
Category:Flowers
Category:Rafflesiaceae
Category:Bengkulu