Researchers from Oxford University and Indonesian conservation groups have documented a rare bloom of Rafflesia hasseltii during an expedition in Sumpur Kudus District, Sijunjung Regency, West Sumatra, on Monday (17 November 2025).
The team consisted of Dr Chris Thorogood from the Oxford University Botanic Garden and Arboretum, Joko Witono from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), conservation activist and rare-flora observer Septi Andriki, and Iswandi from the Nagari Sumpur Kudus Forest Management Institute.
The group travelled approximately 20 hours from Bengkulu and searched day and night through the remote forest. The route passed through areas identified as tiger habitat. According to Septi Andriki, the expedition was the result of years of targeted work.
“We are travelling to search for Rafflesia from 2021 to 2025,” he told Kompas.com on Thursday (20/11/2025). “From 2017, thank God, I managed to see it directly in nature,” he said.
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Dr Thorogood explained that the species blooms in isolated rainforest pockets, making verification difficult.
“Few people have ever seen this flower, and we watched it bloom at night. It was magical,” he said. He later posted images and field notes on social media to document the discovery.
In his post, he wrote: “A life-changing encounter in Sumatra: Rafflesia hasseltii grows in some remote rainforest heavily guarded by tigers, accessible only by permit, and few people have ever seen it. We hiked day and night to find it, and look what happened when we did.”
Collaboration with Local Communities Proves Crucial
Local participation played a central role in the search. Septi Andriki, who has long monitored rare flora in Bengkulu and West Sumatra, guided the team through the terrain.
His familiarity with forest conditions helped the expedition move efficiently through low-visibility paths, steep slopes, and dense vegetation. Residents also supported navigation to sites known for the presence of Tetrastigma, the host plant required for Rafflesia to survive.
The discovery highlights the dependence of scientific work on long-term cooperation between researchers and communities living near forest areas. Their involvement ensures continued monitoring and provides ecological knowledge that is often absent from formal records.
Rafflesia hasseltii, sometimes referred to locally as the “Tiger Face Mushroom” because of its patterning, remains one of the most unique parasitic plants in the region.
It has no leaves, stems, or roots, and grows entirely on its host vine. When in bloom, its diameter can reach several tens of centimetres, marked by dark red petals with white spots.
The flower’s short blooming period, only a few days, makes each encounter time-sensitive.
Field research on Rafflesia is often hindered by the inaccessibility of its habitat and the risk of missing the bloom cycle. If researchers arrive too early or too late, the flower may still be in bud or already wilted.
Thorogood’s findings also underline concerns about the condition of Sumatra’s forests.
Habitat pressure from land-use change, deforestation, and climate variation continues to threaten endemic flora. The research team plans to use the data from this expedition to support habitat mapping and to strengthen conservation strategies.
Public reaction to the published images has been considerable. Many viewers expressed interest in the flower and the process behind locating it. The documentation also broadened awareness of Indonesia’s biodiversity and the need to preserve forest ecosystems that support species such as Rafflesia.
