Viability of having the gigantic Rafflesia flowers in our park

摘要

The genus Rafflesia which consists of ca. 24 species is confined to South-east Asia, mostly found in the Philippines, Borneo and Sumatera. It is a holoparasite on the stems of the vine genus Tetrastigma ( Vitaceae ). The iconic and gigantic flowers range from ca. 9 cm to more than a meter across and have been the envy of observers and tourists. The biology of the flowers has not been fully understood and poses conservation issues. Most enthusiasts and biologists dreamt of having the flowers either in the botanic garden, park or even in their vicinity. The viability of having the flowers in such localities is briefly discussed.