Blooming Rafflesia Flower Found in West Sumatra

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Rafflesia flower, measuring 82.2 centimeters across, was spotted in full bloom in a plantation owned by a resident in Matur, Agam, West Sumatra, Indonesia.

The West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) identified the bloom as a large specimen of either Rafflesia arnoldii or Rafflesia tuan-mudae.

"Further identification is needed because the flower was already in the late afternoon and visibility was low when officers found it," said Rusdiyan P. Ritonga, the Head of the Conservation Resort Region II Maninjau at the West Sumatra BKSDA, on Saturday.

He noted that if confirmed as Rafflesia tuan-mudae, this would be the second location in Agam District where this specific species has been found. The first Rafflesia tuan-mudae, measuring 107 centimeters across, was discovered in the Maninjau Nature Reserve area in 2017.

"The distribution of Rafflesia flowers in Agam District in a total of 17 points is spread across the sub-districts of Palembayan, Tanjungraya, Palupuh, Baso, Kamangmagek, Tilatangkamang, Malalak, and Matur," Ritonga remarked.

He stated that the Rafflesia flower is a rare flowering variety and is protected by Law Number 5 of 1990 on Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Ecosystems.

Local residents discovered the blooming Rafflesia flower on a plantation in Matur on May 30. They promptly reported the find to the West Sumatra BKSDA.

Ritonga said that the Rafflesia flowers were spotted at six locations in the area, and the blooming flower was the furthest, with a journey of around 30 minutes needed to reach the spot.

In the area, the Rafflesia flower was first discovered around 1990, he added.

"In the past, many international visitors came to this location to witness the Rafflesia flower firsthand," Ritonga said.

ANTARA

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