Meet the Rafflesia Flower

Rafflesia has the largest single flower on Earth.

Rafflesia is a parasitic flowering plant found in Southeast Asia.

Rafflesia grows without stems, leaves, or roots on host vines.

Rafflesia flowers bloom from buds that rise from host plants.

Rafflesia arnoldii flowers can exceed 100 centimeters in diameter.

One Rafflesia in West Sumatra measured 111 centimeters wide.

Rafflesia flowers smell like rotting flesh to attract flies.

Pollinating insects, especially carrion flies, carry pollen between flowers.

Rafflesia seeds are tiny and likely spread by ants and mammals.

Rafflesia flowers have five large petals that look like sepals.

Most Rafflesia species have separate male and female flowers.

Rafflesia lacks chloroplast DNA due to its parasitic lifestyle.

Rafflesia flowers bloom mostly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Philippines.

Rafflesia arnoldii has flowers over 100 centimetres wide.