Rafflesia as a hapaxanthic plant and implications for rafflesia conservation and management

Ng, F.S.P. (2023) Rafflesia as a hapaxanthic plant and implications for rafflesia conservation and management. Journal of Tropical Forest Science, 35 (4). pp. 489-495. ISSN 0128-1283

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Abstract

Rafflesia is famous for its enormous flowers attached to Tetrastigma vines. The theory to explain this phenomenon is that the Rafflesia flower is produced by a repeat-flowering entity that lives and grows as an endophytic parasite within its Tetrastigma host. Evidence is presented here to support the theory that Rafflesia is a hapaxanthic plant, flowering at the end of its life, with each plant terminating in a single flower; repeat f lowering being the result of reinfection by seeds. This has existential implications for Rafflesia.

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