The biggest flower in the world: you will be surprised!

Rafflesia - it is this creation of nature that bears the proud title of "the largest flower in the world". True, this plant surprises not only the size, but also its other qualities, which have little to do with the usual ideas about colors. After all, the largest flower is a fetid, bright red plant, sometimes exceeding human growth. By the way, because of a disgusting smell, Rafflesia is often called a cadaverous lily. Although the locals call this plant "lotus flower" ("bunga patmah"). You can see it in the tropical forests of Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan) and the Philippines.

Its name is the biggest flower in the world received in honor of the officer T. Raffles and the botanist D. Arnold. The discovery was made on the island of Sumatra. The aforementioned pioneers measured the flower, gave it a name and a scientific description.

Surprisingly, the largest flower in the world is not capable of synthesizing some of the organic and mineral substances it needs. Therefore, the named plant, in spite of its dimensions, parasitizes on vines. To do this, it produces special threads that penetrate the tissues of lianas, not bringing them at the same time the slightest harm. This flower has no roots and green leaves.

The growth of rafflesia is not too fast. The bark of the plant, under which the seed of the parasite flower passes, swells after 1.5 years, and after 9 months a red flower is dissolved. Rafflesia consists of 5 thick petals of brick-red color with bright white outgrowths reminiscent of warts. From a distance the described flower is like a giant fly-agaric. True, he blossoms only 4 days. By the form of rafflesia resembles rotting meat and has the same cadaveric smell. Thus, the world's largest flower can be smelled more quickly than seen. After a flowering period, rafflesia decomposes for several weeks and soon turns into a black, shapeless mass. If the pollen enters the female flower, then the development of the fruit starts, in which there are thousands of seeds.

It is an unusual smell that rafflesia attracts flies pollinating this flower. Getting on the floral disk, the flies flounder in it, gradually falling all the way down. In the ring furrow, thin hairs direct the flies to the stamens, which are deposited on their back with sticky pollen. Weighed down insects are sent to the female flowers, fertilizing their semolina. But after the plant matures, a large animal needs help, capable of crushing the fruit and transferring the seeds of rafflesia to another place. It should be noted that the blossoming biggest flower in the world in diameter can be equal to 1 m and weigh about 8 kg. In addition, rafflesia has the widest inflorescence.

At the moment, scientists identify 12 species of rafflesia. The most famous among them are Rafflesia Tuan Muda and Rafflesia Arnoldi. These species have the largest flowers. Even Rafflesia saprius in diameter reaches 15-20 cm. It is interesting that Indonesians claim that the extract from the kidneys of the named plant contributes to the restoration of the figure after childbirth. As for scientists, they recognize that the life of this unique flower has not been fully studied.