Not Rafflesia

I am writing to you about the article published in The Jakarta Post on Oct. 3, 1995 entitled Malaysia moves to enhance Rafflesia Power, by David Loh on page 6.

I am a botanist and would like to point out that the correct name of the inflorescence that was shown in the photos is Amorphophallus titanicus. In fact, if you look at the photo on the right, a part of the correct name is visible on the label.

Rafflesia is a totally different flower, the photo of which you can often see in Indonesian postcards. Both flowers produce a very bad smell when they open but I suggest that the author should correct his story.

IAN A. STAFF

University of Mataram

West Nusa Tenggara