Rafflesia, the largest flower of he world is getting closer to extinction. Here's everything to know about the flower!

A team of international scientists has issued an urgent need to protect the genus Rafflesia, containing the largest flowers in the world, from becoming extinct. The team comprises botanists from the University of Oxford's Botanic Garden. A new study has also come up that stated that a majority of the 42 species are actually threatened. However, surprisingly, only one of these 42 species is mentioned in the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Additionally, approximately two-thirds of the habitat of plants is actually at risk of extinction.

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Rafflesia

Rafflesia is a beautiful botanical gem that has ignited curiosity among researchers and scientists for eons. The Rafflesia plant is a parasite. The plant is a parasite that usually infects tropical vines in the Southeast Asian woods. Rafflesia remains hidden from sight. It comes with thread-like filaments. 

The parasite releases a cabbage-like bud. The bud gradually turns beautifully into a five-lobbed flower that is super giant. A foul scent is also produced, but this is just to attract pollinating flies. This is why it is also known as the "corpse flower".

Facts to know about Rafflesia

Rafflesia are indeed special plants. There is a lot to know about Rafflesias. Here are the top facts you must know about these flowers.

1. The name. The name Raffles was actually derived from the name of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. He was an adventurer. He founded the British colony of Singapore.
2. The flower was first found by the French naturalist Louis Dechamps in present-day Indonesia. The flower was discovered between the years 1971 to 1974. However, the British seized his notes at the time of his voyage back home.
3. There are 28 species of Rafflesia known as of now. Ten of these species are mentioned in the category of the largest flower in the world.
4. The Rafflesia manillana is the tiniest species in the genus of Rafflesia. The diameter of this flower is 20 cm.
5. The Rafflesia flower stays open only for a period of 5 to 7 days.
6. The flower produces a rotten smell. This is because of the reddish tentacle-like part in the corolla of the petals.
7. Millions of seeds can be released out of each mature flower. However, only 10 to 20 percent of these seeds are able to survive. In order to germinate, the seed of this plant must look for the ay to the host vine.
8. The flower does not have its own stems or roots. Instead, the flower gets attached to Tetrastigma vine, a host plant. 
9. While the Rafflesia flowers are unisexual, the Raffllesia baletei flowers are actually bisexual.

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