rafflesia plant Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/plant/Rafflesia Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/plant/Rafflesia Also known as: Rafflesia, monster flower Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jul 26, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents rafflesia, (genus Rafflesia), genus of about 42 species of parasitic plants native to Southeast Asia. All Rafflesia species parasitize the roots of Tetrastigma vines (family Vitaceae), and their presence is not made known until the striking flowers emerge from the host vine. One species, Rafflesia arnoldii, boasts the largest single flower of any plant. Taxonomy Like other members of the family Rafflesiaceae, Rafflesia plants are endoparasitic, meaning that the vegetative organs are so reduced and modified that the plant body exists only as a network of threadlike cellular strands living almost wholly within the tissues of the host plant. There ...(100 of 486 words)

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