Rafflesia arnoldi is the largest single flower. Native to the rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia, where it is one of the three national flowers, the so-called “monster flower” can grow up to 3 feet in diameter and weigh up to 15 pounds.
Source: yoyo CAI
More than its size, Rafflesia is known for its scent. It is also known as the “corpse flower” because of its fishy smell of rotting flesh — an adaptation they developed to attract flies, which help pollinate the plant. Monster flowers only grow on the tentacles of the Tetrastigma vine, so they only grow in primeval rainforest. This means that the unusual flower’s habitat is rapidly disappearing.
Culture
This flower is a characteristic symbol of the rainforests of Southeast Asia, and has been featured on some Indonesian postage stamps.
Health
Flower buds are used in traditional medicine to help with pregnancy and as an aphrodisiac, although there is currently no scientific evidence to support their effectiveness.