To the west of the deep forest of Sumatra you can discover one of the strangest flowers ever seen on the planet. By experts it is known as the Giant Rafflesia tuan-mudaefor others it is “the corpse flower” and some recognize it as the largest flower in the world.
It brings together some of the most particular characteristics seen in nature: smell, color, texture and size. Its diameter is close to 112 cm, while its color stands out for mimicking an intense orange with yellow or white flashes.
Its texture appears to be rough and with thick petals, but despite its impressive striking physique this is not what makes Rafflesia famous around the world. As soon as the plant blooms, it begins to emit a very particular smell, one that can be recognized from a few meters away.
Living up to its nickname as “the corpse flower,” this plant literally emits a smell of decay or something rotting. It is said that this is its mechanism to attract flies and other pollinators, since it does not usually bloom frequently and when it does, its flower only lasts a week.
In the essential structure of Rafflesia, the “corpse” plant
Many of the plants we know grow from roots and often have their own survival mechanisms. In the case of Rafflesia everything works differently; These have parasitic plants that attach to other roots to feed on their roots and nutrients. They practically live at the expense of other plants and once they got enough energy, then they flower.
Each Rafflesia flower can grow up to 1 in diameter and only blooms once every few years. In addition, it can weigh close to 11 kg. The Sumatra jungle is where most specimens of this plant have been found, although none usually bloom for more than a week.
Without a doubt, throughout the planet we can find unique beings at any time and the key is to look around us. Whether it is a flower like the Rafflesia, a pink stingray or any other species, it seems that the
No matter how much we think we know about the world, something new is surely forming or evolving to amaze our minds.