Giant flower gets family tree
Friday, 12 Jan 2007 00:01
Rafflesiaceae: Not your everyday poinsettia
A 200-year-old riddle over what family the world's largest flowering plant belongs to has finally been solved, scientists claim.
Rafflesiaceae, found in south and south-east Asia, had previously defied categorisation for two centuries due to its conflicting characteristics.
But findings published in journal Science claim that the plant, the flowers of which can grow up to 1m in length and weigh in excess of 7kg, is part of the Euphorbiaceae family, meaning it is related to both poinsettias and Irish bells.
Other plants in its extended family tree include the rubber tree, castor oil plant and cassava shrub.
But despite its impressive size and striking blood red appearance, scientists warn that Rafflesiaceae has a pungent odour of rotting flesh.
The parasitic angiosperm, which is unable to photosynthesise due to being leafless, stemless and rootless, survives only by living off plants in the grapevine family.
Charles Davis of Harvard University, co-author of today's study, says the Rafflesiaceae is the "greatest prodigy of the vegetable world".