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Seeing a Rafflesia in bloom for the first time

Last weekend I had my first opportunity to see a Rafflesia flower in bloom.  Prior to that I’ve only seen the cabbage-like buds in the jungles below Batu Punggul in 1998.  We were at Kundasang during the weekend and by chance saw a poster informing that a bloomed Rafflesia can be seen at Kg. Poring.  There were actually two flowers blooming located in a private plot just a few hundred metres from the entrance to the Poring Hot Springs.  The Rafflesia flower is the Rafflesia Keithii named after the former Conservator of Forest, Harry George Keith. Harry Keith is the husband of Agnes Keith the author of Land Below The Wind.  Their house still stands on top of hill overlooking Sandakan town and bay.  The keithii is the largest of the Rafflesia flowers measuring up to 80cm in diameter.  It is also very rare to see one in full bloom let alone two.  So we were very fortunate to see.  If you look closely in the background of the picture above, you can see two small buds.  Hopefully, we can see it in bloom again next year cos’ it takes about 9 months for it to bloom, just like a human baby. The buds, once were sought after for its supposedly medicinal value.  I’m not sure if one can make acne vitamins out of it.  The true value of the Rafflesia have yet to be realised.  Despite that, for now I’m glad to have witness not one but two in bloom.