Rafflesia schadenbergiana is a
parasitic plant species in the family
Rafflesiaceae,
endemic to the island of
Mindanao in the Philippines. It has the largest flower among the Rafflesia species found in the Philippines, with a diameter of 52–80 cm (20–30 in).[1][2] It has also the second largest flower in the genus after
R. arnoldii.
This species was first collected in the vicinity of
Mount Apo on Mindanao, during an expedition led by
Alexander Schadenberg [
de] and Otto Koch in 1882.[2] It was not seen for more than a century and was assumed to be extinct[3] until Pascal Lays found a specimen of this species in
South Cotabato in 1994 while studying the
Tasaday people.[4] A population of this rare Rafflesia species was recently discovered in
Baungon in
Bukidnon province, just outside the buffer zone of the
Mount Kitanglad Natural Park in 2007.[1][5][note 1]
Notes
^For more information about the remarkable species, see the review in the following citation: Barcelona, et al. "Taxonomy, ecology, and conservation status of Philippine Rafflesia (Rafflesiaceae)" Blumea. 54:77-94. doi:10.3767/000651909X474122.[6]
References
^
abBarcelona, Julie F.
"Rafflesia". Philippine Native Plant Conservation Society, Inc. Archived from
the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2008-12-08.