Disturbed by Weather, 10 Knops of Rafflesia Arnoldii Flowers in Agam Fail to Bloom

West Sumatra BKSDA officers are monitoring Rafflesia flowers in Paninjauan, Tanjung Raya District, Agam Regency, Saturday (2/11/2024). (Between/Yusrizal)

JAKARTA - The Conservation Resort of Region II Maninjau, the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) of West Sumatra noted that 10 kg of Arnoldii type Rafflesia flowers in Paninjauan, Tanjung Raya District, Agam Regency failed to bloom due to a tree where the host's buffer fell by the wind.

Forest Ecosystem Controller of the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Dania Sintia in Lubuk Basung, Saturday, said the Rafflesia flower knop had rotted and was black.

"The size of the 10 knops varies and some are already big before the bloom," he said, quoted by Antara.

He said the 10 knops of the Rafflesia flower failed to bloom due to trees where the host's buffer fell by the wind, causing the host or tetrastigma to be damaged or died.

This is based on monitoring carried out by the Conservation Resort Region II Maninjau BKSDA West Sumatra at that location, Thursday (31/10).

"We found knop has rotted at the plantation site of local residents," he said.

He admitted that at that location there were two rare and protected interest points in Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Natural Resources and their Ecosystems.

In the second location with a distance of 100 meters, the West Sumatra BKSDA only found one individual Rafflesia flower passing through the perfect bloom phase a few weeks ago.

The West Sumatra BKSDA also found one individual corpse flower and two Rhizanthes lowii flowers.

"This location was discovered in 2018 and intensively monitoring and supervision by the BKSDA began," he said.

The distribution of Rafflesia flowers in Agam Regency with 17 points spread across Palembayan, Tanjungraya, Palupuh, Baso, Kamangmagek, Tilangkamang, Malalak, and Matur sub-districts.

"Especially in Marambuang, Nagari Baringin, Palembayan District, the location of the Rafflesia Tuan-mue type growth," he said.