Another World's Tallest Flower Blossoming In Bengkulu

BENGKULU, Oct 28 (Antara) - A Rafflesia Arnoldii flower is blossoming in the protected forest of Bukit Barisan in the sub-district of Taba Penanjung, Regency of Central Bengkulu in the province of Bengkulu. "It is only 10 meters from the Bengkulu-South Sumatra highway," Ibnu, a Taba Teret villager said on Thursday. The location is 46 kilometers from the city of Bengkulu or around 1-1.5 hours by car from the city, Ibnu said. The rare and one of the tallest flowers in the world is found only in Bengkulu in the protected forests of Bukit Daun and Nature preserve of Taba Penanjung in Central Bengkulu. Rafflesia Arnoldii is one of four types of Rafflesia including Rafflesia gadutensis, Rafflesia bengkuluensis and Rafflesia hasselti. Earlier this month Rafflesia arnoldii, Rafflesia gadutensis and Amorphophallus gigas were found blossoming in different locations in Bengkulu. "The two types of Refflesia family blossomed in their habitat in the forest and the Amorphophallus gigas blossoms in a breeding garden," Coordinator of Scare Flower Community (KPPL) in Bengkulu, Sofian Ramadhan said. Sofian said Rafflesia arnoldii blossoms in the Nature Preserve of Taba Penanjung, in Central Bengkulu . The local people of Taba Teret voluntarily protect the rare plants in the forest near their village. The flower of Rafflesia arnoldii is 75 centimeters when blossoming and it would last for four days. Amorphophallus gigas is locally known as Bunga Bangkai (Carrion Flower) as it issues unpleasant smell. Bunga Bangkai is an endemic flowing plant in Bengkulu beside Rafflesia arnoldii. "This is the third Amorphophallus gigas to blossom in this breeding place," Holidin, a farmer breeding the flowering plant, said earlier. He said in the same location Amorphophallus gigas, 4.1 meters tall, blossomed in in March 2016. The first gigas type to blossom in that place was in March 2013 with plant three meters tall. Holidin said he did not ask visitors to pay any but he said he hoped they give donation voluntarily he needed to tend the garden with rare plants.