Bengkulu, Sumatra (ANTARA News) - One more Rafflesia arnoldii flower has blossomed in the Bukit Daun forest, Tebat Monok village, Tebat Monok sun district, Kepahiang district, Bengkulu province on Monday, an environmental activist said here Monday.
The blooming flower in the Bukit Daun protected forest is the larger than three others that emerged the same location earlier, the chairman of Tebat Monok rare flora care group, Holidin, said.
"The size of this flower is larger than the three Rafflesia flowers that we found earlier. This one is one meter in diameter," he said.
Previously, the group had found three Rafflesias blooming in the Bukit Daun protected forest but they were smaller in diameter.
Holidin said, as usual, the group had built a protective fence around the flower to avoid disturbance from humans or wildlife.
The group members also put up a signboard reading "Raflesia flowers bloom" on the edge of the highway linking Bengkulu city and Kepahiang district, the location where the flower bloom.
"We also have a guard shack at the edge of the road and there is a path to the flowers bloom location, about 200 meters from the highway," Holidin added.
Besides the one flower blooms, the group formed 10 years ago also found 22 Rafflesia bulbs within a radius of one kilometer in the Bukit Daun protected forest.
He estimated, until the end of 2011 there will be Rafflesia bloom in the forest so that people can enjoy the uniqueness.
"This year is the most blooms, there are still 22 bulbs that we found, hopefully they can bloom perfectly," Holidin hoped.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli