"Local villagers have found the rare flowers in full bloom in a forest near a residents garden," Noprianto, coordinator of Padang Guci Rare Flower Lover Community, said here, Friday.
The location is some eight kilometers from a nearby village and could be reached by a motorcycle ride, he said.
""We have monitored the habitat and several flowers had bloomed previously," he noted.
Tropical forest, which is intact and has extreme terrain, in Padang Guci, some 200 km of Bengkulu City, is habitat for two species of the rare fauna - Rafflesia bengkuluensis and Rafflesia arnoldii.
"After taking a motor ride, we must walk through rice fields and gardens of local villagers," he remarked.
Other habitats of Rafflesia are found in North Bengkulu, Central Bengkulu, Seluma and Lebong Districts.
Agus Susatya, rafflesia researcher of the University of Bengkulu, has identified four Rafflesia sp flowers in Bengkulu, namely Rafflesia arnoldii, Rafflesia bengkuluensis, Rafflesia gadutensis, dan Rafflesia hasselti.
"However, there is a possibility that new species of Rafflesia to be discovered in Bengkulu forests," he said.
Reporter: Helti Sipayung
Editor: Ade P Marboen
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
