The world’s largest flower, known as Rafflesia arnoldii, can be found in the rainforests of Asia. It can grow up to 3 feet in diameter and weigh as much as 15 pounds.
This massive bloom is infamous for its terrible odour, earning it the nickname “corpse flower.”
Facts about the largest and stinkiest flower in the world
1. It smells like death
Rafflesia arnoldii is believed to smell like a decaying corpse or rotting flesh, a scent that helps attract insects to pollinate it. However, because of its rarity and unique location in dense forests, these pollinators often struggle to find it.
2. It doesn’t photosynthesise
Unlike most plants, *Rafflesia* is a parasitic plant that lacks leaves, stems, and roots. It does not photosynthesise, which is the process plants use to grow using sunlight.
Instead, it relies on thread-like structures resembling fungal cells to extract food and water from tropical jungle vines in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
3. It attracts insects
The foul odour of Rafflesia serves to attract insects. The plant produces a cabbage-like bud that eventually blooms into a massive, rubbery flower.
To pollinate, it secretes a sticky substance that adheres to the insects that land on it.
4. It’s facing extinction
This unique plant is currently facing extinction for several reasons. One is the difficulty insects have in locating it for pollination.
Additionally, human activities such as deforestation, bush burning, and the collection of Rafflesia flowers from their natural habitats threaten its survival.
Researchers have classified 42 species of Rafflesia as critically endangered, 15 as endangered, and 25 as overthreatened due to the destruction of Southeast Asian forest habitats.
