A study of interaction between Rafflesia kerrii Meijer and Pollinators in Lojing Highlands, Kelantan, Malaysia

• Main Author: Hor, Pui Lun
• Format: Undergraduate Final Project Report
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://discol.umk.edu.my/id/eprint/6312/

to other species in this genus, Rafflesia kerrii Meijer in Lojing Highlands also belongs to the holoparastic species that host in in the Tetrastigma vine for its protection, nutrition, and survival. Strong carrion smell releases from the perigone lobes and fruity fragrance scent releases from the centre cavity make this species different from others. Furthermore, it provides slimy nectar like secretion coating the parts below the disk can be sucked by flies. Hence this species is not really a deceptive flower. Fly pollination of sapromyophily syndrome, which means the flies attracted by carrion smell. Diurnal consensus was carried out to determine the potential pollinators and non pollinators; insects' most active hours and most visitors on which day. Potential pollinators are female blow flies from the family of Calliphoridae, mostly in the genera Chrysomya, Lucilia and Hypopygiopsis. Flies may acts as long distance pollinators as they are strong flyers and long lived. Other non-pollinating visitors also attracted by mistaken that the flower offer food reward and place for oviposition. The pollinators were very active in daytime from 1200-1500 and observed with some individuals acquire pollen loads at the back of their thorax. At the same time, high number of non pollinators were also attracted to the flower, however they did not perform any pollen acquire activity. High insects activity once the flower bloom and the number of visitors decreases day by day, until it starts to decay. It appears that fragrance and vivid appreance of flower are important to attract pollinators, but insects may take the flower advantage at different distances depending on floral stage, pollinator species and physiological state, and environmental conditions.