The Majestic Flower of Rafflesia Arnoldii, Bengkulu

Rafflesia Arnoldii or in Indonesia it’s been called as Padma Raksasa, is a flowes member of the genus Rafflesia.
In Indonesia Rafflesia Arnoldii is one of the three national flowers in Indonesia, the other two being the white jasmine and moon orchid. It was officially recognized as a national "rare flower".

The naming of this giant flower is connected with the history of the first discovery in 1818 in the tropical forest of Bengkulu (Sumatra), somewhere near the river Manna, Lubuk Tapi, South Bengkulu. By this phenomenon, Bengkulu then became famous as The Land of Rafflesia.

This plant is an endemic plant in Sumatra, particularly in the southern part like Bengkulu, Jambi and South Sumatra. Kerinci Seblat National Park is an area of major conservation of this species. This species, together with the other members of the genus Rafflesia, threatened its status due to massive deforestation.

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