The largest flower in the world (6 pics + 1 video)

On the islands of the Malay archipelago (Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java) found the largest flower in the world.
Its name Rafflesia Arnoldi.



 
The scientific name he received because of its Discoveries: Raffles officer and botanist Arnold, but the locals have long called it "bungapatma", meaning "lotus flower," and attributed to him miraculous healing properties.



This unusual plant has no leaves or roots, and because of this particular structure is not capable of independently producing all necessary for him to live organic matter. Therefore, a huge flower stalks of a parasite on the vines, grow into the wood thin filaments that resemble mycelium.



The largest found copy flower Rafflesia reach a diameter of 106, 7 cm, but the average size, after all, do not exceed 90 cm. The weight of the plant may be about 6 kg, and its thick fleshy petals grow to a length of about 46 cm.



The look and smell of a flower Rafflesia associated with rotting meat: five huge petals of a bright red color with white growths attract flies, which pollinate the plant. Insects fall into the male flower, where pollen sticks them back, and then carry his burden to female flowers, so fertilizing them ovules.





After that, during the seven months of the ovaries of the developing fetus that carries the millions of tiny seeds. To breeding process went on, the flowers need assistance of any large animal: accidentally crushing the fruit, it carries the seeds for a new habitat.

Source: www.liveinternet.ru

Tags

See also

New and interesting