When the huge petals open, genus flowers rafflesia It produces an overwhelming odor that mimics the odor of rotting meat. The pungent odor may deter humans and attract flies, but The study was published in the journal September 19th. plants, people, planets We found that 67 percent of these notorious plants’ habitats are at risk of destruction.
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rafflesia It is the world’s largest flower and has been a botanical mystery for centuries.In addition to the infamous stench, corpse flowers are actually Parasites that infect grape vines inside Tropical jungles of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. It remains hidden from view during most of its life cycle, existing as a system of small thread-like filaments that invade the host.in unpredictable intervals, the parasite produces cabbage-like buds that break through the vine’s bark and eventually form giant five-lobed flowers up to 3.2 feet in diameter. The flowers emit a distinctive rotting flesh odor to attract pollinating flies.
this Elusive life cycle And because of their ability to remain hidden, they are little understood by botanists, who are still discovering new species. In such an elusive life cycle, rafflesia is still poorly understood and new species are still being recorded.
inside studyan international group of researchers has established the first coordinated global network to assess the threats we face. rafflesia. This network has discovered most of his 42 known species. rafflesia I am under serious threat, Only one species is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This leaves many people unprotected by regional and national conservation strategies. According to the report, scientists classified 25 species as endangered and 15 as endangered. IUCN classification criteria.
Chris Thorogood of the University of Oxford Botanic Gardens, UK, contributed to this research and upcoming books We appreciate the years the team spent documenting these plants.in statement, Thorogood said the work “highlights how global conservation efforts for plants, even symbolic ones, lag behind those for animals.” We urgently need a collaborative approach across regions to save some of the world’s most remarkable flowers, most of which are now lost. ”
moreover, rafflesia Species often have very limited geographic distributions and are particularly vulnerable to habitat destruction. Research shows that many of the remaining dead flower populations exist in small numbers in unprotected areas that are at risk of being converted to agricultural uses. Although these and other similarly smelly flowers are famously present in some botanical gardens, these facilities have had limited success in propagating them, making habitat protection an urgent priority. It has become.
[Related: These parasitic plants force their victims to make them dinner.]
of 4 action plans The team’s recommendations for local governments, research centers and conservation organizations include greater habitat protection and a better understanding of animal diversity across the board. rafflesia It exists to inform policy-making, develop better ways to breed outside of their native habitat, and introduce new ecotourism initiatives that involve local communities. rafflesia Maintenance.
This study also revealed the following points: Valuable success stories it can provide important insights rafflesia Conservation efforts were also carried out in other locations, such as Bogor Botanical Garden in Indonesia’s West Java province, where a series of successful flowering events benefited villagers in West Sumatra province. rafflesia Ecotourism by forming “bokdalwi”, or tourism awareness groups linked with social media.
“Indigenous peoples are the best guardians of our forests. rafflesia “Conservation programs are much more likely to be successful when they involve local communities,” said study co-author Adrian Tobias, a forest scientist at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. stated in a statement. “rafflesia It has the potential to become a new symbol of nature conservation in tropical Asia. ”