Did you know that one of the world’s rarest flowers can be seen in the Philippines? Rafflesia is a parasitic flowering plant that can grow up to 100 centimeters in diameter and weigh as much as 10 kilograms. The unique qualities of this gigantic flower don’t end there, it is also known for its foul smell, much like rotting flesh.
Mostly seen in Southeast Asian countries like Borneo, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Thailand, the Philippines houses 10 different species of Rafflesia scattered all around the country. It can be found popularly in Bukidnon, Mindanao and in Kalinga Province. This flower may be hard to find in its full bloom because this only occurs for five days in a year.
Once in full bloom, the huge petals of the flower resemble of rotting flesh and the foul smell attracts flies and insects towards it. Being parasitic, it gets its sustenance mainly from another nearby plant.
Because of the great number of endemic species found in the country, the Philippines is recognized by the scientific community as one of the mega biodiversity countries of the world.
FYI: Section 27 of Republic Act 9147 prohibits the collection, possession; transport and trading of all Rafflesia species listed as a critically endangered species under Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order # 2007-01 on pain of 6 to 12 years imprisonment, or a fine of 100,000 to 1M pesos.
Photos from: http://davaocitybybattad.blogspot.com
