Flower Rafflesia
Recent research has unveiled a troubling reality for the world’s largest flower. The mesmerizing Rafflesia flower, known for its enormous and speckled red petals: the majority of its species now teeter on the brink of extinction.
Rafflesia, a parasitic plant found entwined in tropical vines across various regions of Southeast Asia, boasts some of the largest flowers on the planet.
Its mysterious and sporadic blooming has perplexed botanists. They have struggled to cultivate it beyond its natural habitat.
One of the Rafflesia species currently holds the “critically endangered” classification, as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Meanwhile, a team of botanists conducted an analysis encompassing 42 Rafflesia species and their habitats. They conducted research across Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand in a bid to gauge the plant’s conservation status.
Their findings painted a dire picture: due to rapid deforestation and protective measures, Rafflesia faces a far greater risk than previously believed.
According to the researchers, “We estimate that 60 percent of Rafflesia species face a severe risk of extinction.”
This study, published in journal “Plants, People, Planet”, emphasized that some species may vanish before even being discovered by science. They underscored the need for intensified research into this unique plant.
Chris Thorogood, deputy director of Oxford University’s Botanical Garden, stressed the urgency of a coordinated, cross-regional approach to safeguard these extraordinary flowers.
The research underscores the plant’s vulnerability, as it is known to inhabit relatively restricted areas. It renders it highly susceptible to habitat destruction.
However, there are glimmers of hope in conservation efforts in a botanical garden in Indonesia’s West Java and in West Sumatra.
Last year, nations committed to protecting 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. It was a significant pact aimed at slowing the decline of species and ecosystems.
