Researchers find rare flower

BANDARLAMPUNG: A team from the Bukit Barisan National Park believes it may have found a new type of the giant rafflesia flower in the Kubunicik forest.

Leader of flora and fauna promotion of Bukit Barisan Iwen Y. Ismarson S. Hut was quoted by Antara on Sunday as saying the flower was found in Sukaraja Atas on the border of the Tanggamus and West Lampung regencies, near the site where a similar species of rafflesia was found in October 1996.

The recently discovered rafflesia may be a different species, Iwen said, because it had six petals and the previous find had five.

It was found attached to a liana, a type of rattan. Some flowers in full bloom had a diameter of 41 centimeters. (byg)