Bua Phut (R. Kerri Meijer)

Bua Phut

(Rafflesia Kerri Meijer)

One of the world's rarest and certainly it's largest flowers...

It was first collected in 1927-29 from four locations in Southern Thailand. This species found at Khao Sok is confined to the provinces of Surat Thani, Ranong and Chumphon, and on the endangered species list.

Rafflesia is a parasitic plant with no leaves or roots of its own. It invades the liana vines and like a parasite, it absorbs all the vine's nutrients. Once a year small buds begin to develop beneath the root bark of the vine. As they mature, they swell, breaking through the bark, to the size of a football. The then burst open revealing the massive flower, which can be upto 80 cm in diameter and is ocra, yellow, chestnut and white in colour. Flies polinate Bua Phut, attracted by the sweet sickly smell. A female flower is pollinated only by a male flower and chances are reduced, not only by it's rarity, but also because it only flowers for 3-4 days, then it shrivels and dies.

Rafflesia is found in only countries on the Sunda shelf, namely Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. It gets its name from Sir Stamford Raffles, who first found specimens of another species in Sabah, East Malaysia.

http://www.geocities.com/pantoorat/Buaphut.html