2. RAFFLESIA The Rafflesia flower (Rafflesia arnoldi) is
the world's largest flower.
This giant bloom is found in
rainforests of Indonesia.
Locally, it is called the
"corpse flower." Rafflesia
gives off a putrid smell
that reminds people of
rotting meat (this odor
attracts its pollenators,
beetles and flies), hence
its nickname. Rafflesia's
enormous flower is about 3 feet (1 m) across and weighs about 20 pounds (9 kilograms).

3. The flower takes about a year to develop, then it blooms for about a week before dying. The flower has five wide orange petals (with pale dots) surrounding a spiked cup. Rafflesia has
no stem, no roots,
and no leaves. The
flower is supported
by fungus-like tissue
that lives in another
plant - the
Tetrastigma vine.