最初由法国人 Louis Deschamps 于1791-1794年在爪哇发现,但他的笔记被英国人于1803年没收。
直到1818年,自然学家约瑟夫·阿诺德(Joseph Arnold)和英国在新加坡殖民地的创建者托马斯·斯坦福德·莱佛士(Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles)率领的科学探险队在印尼苏门答腊发现了这种植物,并以莱佛士的名字命名。其带有斑点的血红色花朵有7千克重,直径一般1米以上,散发一种腐烂尸体般的恶臭;同时生产热量[6],吸引苍蝇和几种食腐蜂类来传播花粉。
However, the clear monophyly of the four geographical clades does not correspond to any clear difference in appearance. There is no consistency within the clades in the size of flowers, or the presence or absence of white warts; species in different clades resemble one another more than they do some other species within the same clade. Homoplasy – repeatedly gaining or losing traits – seems to be the rule within Rafflesia.[7]
Pastor Malabrigo Jr., Adriane B. Tobias, Joko Witono, Sofi Mursidawati, Agus Susatya, Mat Yunoh Siti-Munirah, Adhityo Wicaksono, Reza Raihandhany, Sarah Edwards and Chris J. Thorogood. 2023. Most of the World's Largest Flowers (Genus Rafflesia) are now on the Brink of Extinction. PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET. DOI: 10.1002/ppp3.10431
Adriane B. Tobias, Chris J. Thorogood and Pastor L. Malabrigo Jr. 2023. The Reinstatement of Rafflesia banaoana (Rafflesiaceae), and Implications for Assessing Species Diversity and Conservation Requirements of the World's Largest Flowers. Phytotaxa. 612(2); 201-216. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.612.2.5
John Michael M. Galindon, Perry S. Ong and Edwino S. Fernando. 2016. Rafflesia consueloae (Rafflesiaceae), The Smallest among Giants; A New Species from Luzon Island, Philippines. PhytoKeys. 61: 37-46. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.61.7295
Agus Susatyaม Siti Nur Hidayati and Septian Riki. 2017. Rafflesia kemumu (Rafflesiaceae), A New Species from Northern Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia. Phytotaxa. 326(3); 211–220. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.326.3.5
Nery Sofiyanti, Kamarudin Mat-Salleh, Khairil Mahmud, Nor Zuhailah Mazlan, Mohd. Ros. Albukharey Hasein and David F.R.P. Burslem. 2016. Rafflesia parvimaculata (Rafflesiaceae), A New Species of Rafflesia from Peninsular Malaysia. Phytotaxa. 253(3); DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.253.3.4