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A Flower That Looks Like a Strange Creature

Rafflesia arnoldi is a plant, but it does not look like an ordinary flower. In the photograph, its large red-brown petals cover the forest floor. Many pale spots decorate the petals, and a deep dark opening sits in the center. Behind it, a second flower grows near a tree trunk. This flower is unusual because it is enormous and has a powerful, distinctive appearance. It is also a rare plant. Rafflesia arnoldi grows in the forests of Indonesia, including West Sumatra. Unlike many familiar plants, it has no visible green leaves or stem. It lives as a parasite inside another plant, usually a vine. For most of its life, it is hidden. Then it opens as a very large flower for a short time. Its strong smell can attract flies, which help pollinate it. The flower’s strange shape and smell make it one of the most memorable plants in the world. Although the data calls it an animal, Rafflesia arnoldi is a species of plant.