An official takes measurements of the blooming Rafflesia Arnoldi flower at the Rafflesia Arnoldi flower conservation center, in Pematang Kota Agung Utara, on November 1, 2022.//AFP
Bangkok, Thailand – Most species of the famously large Rafflesia flower, which has long captured the imagination with its enormous speckled red petals, are now at risk of extinction, new research warned Wednesday.
Rafflesia is actually a parasite, and lives on tropical vines across parts of Southeast Asia, producing blooms that are among the largest in the world.
It is something of an enigma, with its flowers emerging unpredictably, and botanists have had limited success propagating it outside its natural environment.
One species of the flower is currently classed as “critically endangered”, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
To better understand the plant and its…
