Rafflesia Arnold ( lat. Rafflésia arnóldii ) - a species of parasite plants from the genus Rafflesia ( Rafflesia ) of the family Rafflesia ( Rafflesiaceae ), a typical species of this genus [2] . The species range is limited to the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan (other species of rafflesia are also found in other areas of Southeast Asia , including the Philippines ; many species of this genus are endangered).
| Rafflesia Arnold | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Bud and open flower | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Rafflesia arnoldii R. Br. (1821) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Rafflesia Arnold blooms in single flowers, which are some of the largest on the planet: their diameter is 60-100 cm, and their mass is up to 8 kg.
Content
Title
The correct name of the taxon in Russian is Rafflesia Arnold [3] ; the species was named after Joseph Arnold ( English Joseph Arnold ) (1782-1818), an English physician and naturalist who worked in Sumatra in 1818 on the expedition of Sir Ruffles Stamford (1781-1826) [4] . The plant was discovered by a local guide working with Dr. Arnold in the rain forests of the southwestern part of this island.
In some Russian-language sources, the incorrect Russian name of the taxon Rafflesia Arnoldi is given . This, in particular, may be due to the fact that according to the species epithet of the scientific name - arnoldii - it is difficult to determine the initial form of the surname: it can be both Arnold and Arnoldi.
Also found are the names of “cadaveric lily” and “lotus flower” ( indon. Bunga patma ).
Biological Description
Rafflesia is found in tropical rainforests where lianas from the genus Tetrastigma ( Tetrastigma ) of the family Vinogradovye ( Vitaceae ) grow. Like some other parasite plants, rafflesia does not have a pronounced stem, leaves, and even roots, receiving nutrients from the host.
The flowers of Rafflesia Arnold are bisexual, have a reddish-brown color, they are quite massive and have a specific aroma (rotting meat) that attracts insects (the main pollinators are forest flies ). The ripening of the bud lasts for several months, while flowering continues for several days.
The fruits are in the form of berries and contain numerous seeds . Seeds are distributed both by large mammals (for example, elephants , crushed berries stick to their feet) and by insects (for example, ants ).
In connection with the massive deforestation, the places of growth of rafflesia are also significantly reduced.
Notes
- ↑ For the conventionality of specifying the class of dicotyledons as a superior taxon for the plant group described in this article, see the APG Systems section of the Dicotyledonous article .
- ↑ Information on the genus Rafflesia (English) in the Index Nominum Genericorum database of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) . June 22, 2013
- ↑ Rafflesia - an article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia .
- ↑ Rafflesia arnoldii at The Parasitic Plant Connection, University of Southern Illinois, USA (English) (Retrieved July 13, 2009)
Links
- Rafflesia on the website of the Forest Department of the Malaysian State of Sarawak (English) (Retrieved July 13, 2009)