Rafflesia kerrii

Rafflesia kerrii is a member of the genus Rafflesia. It is found in the rainforest of southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia, with the most famous population in the Khao Sok National Park. Local Thai names are บัวผุด (bua phut), ย่านไก่ต้ม (yan kai tom) and บัวตูม (bua tum).

Flower and bud in Khao Sok National Park

Rafflesia kerrii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Rafflesiaceae
Genus: Rafflesia
Species:
R. kerrii
Binomial name
Rafflesia kerrii

The red flowers typically have a diameter of 50–90 cm (19 1⁄2–35 1⁄2 in) and smell awfully of rotten meat to attract flies for pollination. This species has some claim to being the world's largest flower, for although the average size of R. arnoldii is greater than the average R. kerrii, there have been two recent specimens of exceptional size: One specimen found in the Lojing Highlands of peninsular Malaysia on April 7, 2004 by Mat-Salleh and Mat Ros measured 111 cm (43 1⁄2 in) in width,[1] while another found in 2007 in Kelantan State, peninsular Malaysia by Gan Canglin measured 112 cm (44 in).[2][3] The photograph of Canglin with the flower clearly shows that the corolla is 35 to 40 cm (14 to 15 1⁄2 in) in width; the largest corolla ever reported anywhere. The plant is a parasite to the wild grapes of the genus Tetrastigma (T. leucostaphylum, T. papillosum and T. quadrangulum), but only the flowers are visible. Small buds appear along the lianas and roots of the host, which after nine months open as giant flowers. After just one week the flower wilts. The species seems to be flowering seasonally, as flowers are only reported during the dry season, from January to March, and more rarely till July.

The flower is endangered. Though already naturally rare, tourists trying to get close to the flower for photos easily trample the host plant or young buds. Also the locals collect both buds and flowers both as a delicacy as well as for its claimed medical powers. A concoction of cooked buds or flowers is used as a general tonic, to help for fever or backache or even as a sexual stimulant. However, western medicine doesn't recognize any medical power of the flower.

The flower is the symbol flower of Surat Thani Province, which is the location of the Khao Sok NP.

Discovery

The species is named after the Irish Arthur Francis George Kerr, who collected plants extensively in Thailand. It was Kerr who first collected a specimen of this species in 1927, and further three by 1929. The specimen later used as the type specimen was collected on February 3, 1929 at Khao Pho Ta Luang Kaeo near Ranong. It was scientifically collected several times afterwards, believed to be R. patma. In 1984 Willem Meijer described it as a separate species.[4]

References
  1. "Rafflesia in Bloom" at http://rafflesia-in-bloom.blogspot.com/
  2. http://rafflesiaspp.blogspot.com/2008/03/r-kerrii-world-biggest-rafflesia-found.html
  3. "World's Biggest Rafflesia Found in Kelantan" at http://e.sinchow-i.com/content.phtml?sec=31&artid=200708110005&sdate=%5B%5D
  4. rafflesia-in-bloom blog
  • National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, National Park Bulletin June–July 2004 (1.8 MB PDF)
  • Jamili Nais. Rafflesia of the World. ISBN 983-812-042-1. pp. 147–153
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