Photo of the Week: The Mysterious Rafflesia

 In December we visited Borneo, Malaysia.  A definite highlight of the trip was viewing the rare Rafflesia.  With a 36 inch (average) diameter, it is purported to be the largest flower in the world. The Rafflesia is perplexing: although technically a plant, it lacks chlorophyll and is incapable of photosynthesis. It is parasitic and appears to sit on the jungle floor, lacking a stem, leaves and roots.

I first became interested in this mysterious flower while living in London. The local newspaper reported that the largest flower in the world would be blooming for seven days in the Royal Botanical Garden. I was intrigued but put off by the long lines.

While in Singapore several years later, I again read about this elusive flower and for the first time saw a photograph of one blooming. The flower appeared savage – like something out of Little Shop of Horrors – with a concave center that looked as if it were poised and waiting to devour a small animal.

Rafflesia were discovered in 1818 in the Indonesian rain forest and named for the expedition’s leader, Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles. Our once in a lifetime viewing came when our guide at the lovely Kinabalu Park told us there was one in bloom and then asked if we would care to see it. We jumped at the opportunity. The life of a Rafflesia is fleeting and blooms are rare events. The plants generally grow for nine months, take 18 hours to open, bloom for seven days, and then die. The demise is dramatic and a dead flower resembles a small mound of glowing black embers.

You may see other great travel photos on DeliciousBaby’s Photo Friday.