Pictures of the Rafflesia Kerri Meijer

The Rafflesia Kerrie Meijer gets its name from Sir Stamford Raffles.
One of the world's rarest and certainly it's largest flowers...
This species found at Khao Sok is on the endangered species list.
Please do not step too close to the flower it will destroy it because
there are "invisible roots" in the ground around the blossom !!!

The Rafflesia is a parasitic plant with no roots or leaves.
It absorbs its nutrients with a kind of fungus from its host.
The Rafflesia develops out of a bud (top, left) and blooms for 3 - 4 days.
Afterwards it fades away like a decaying mushroom (it starts - bottom, right).

http://www.khaolakguide.de/rkmpic1.htm