40 The Monstrous Flower

Have you ever heard of a flower whose seeds are carried and spread by elephants? The rafflesia, a rare blossom, is very unusual. Found in the rain forests of Sumatra, the rafflesia is the world's largest flower, measuring three feet in diameter.

This giant flower is a parasite—it needs another plant to live on. It lacks the structures needed to survive alone. The rafflesia has no stem or leaves. It is all flower. It attaches itself to the roots of other plants and sucks their juices. The flower's favorite home is the root of the vine, which grows above ground.

The rafflesia seems to burst right out of the forest floor. Its blossom weighs fifteen pounds! It has thick, spotted petals that give off a foul smell. The center, or necary, is about the size of a household bucket. After a rain, it may hold up to twelve pints of water.

After the rafflesia dies, it becomes a pool of thick liquid in which seeds float. Elephants wandering through the forest step into the mushy pool, and the seeds glue themselves to their feet. The animals try to rid themselves of the sticky mess, so they pick up twigs and leaves. As the elephants stomp through the forest, their sticky feet rub against the roots of the cissus vine. In no time, seeds left on the vine grow into more monstrous flowers!

40 巨型花朵

你听说过种子由大象携带和传播的花吗？大王花是一种罕见的花朵，非常与众不同。它生长在苏门答腊的雨林中，是世界上最大的花，直径达三英尺。

这种巨型花是寄生植物——它需要依附其他植物生存。它缺乏独自生存所需的结构，大王花没有茎和叶，全是花朵。它附着在其他植物的根部，吸食它们的汁液。这种花最喜爱的生长地是藤蔓的根部，这种藤蔓生长在地面以上。

大王花似乎是从森林地面直接冒出来的。它的花朵重十五磅！它有着厚实的、带斑点的花瓣，散发出难闻的气味。花的中心，也就是蜜槽，大约有家用桶那么大。雨后，它可能会容纳多达十二品脱的水。

大王花凋谢后，会变成一滩浓稠的液体，种子在其中漂浮。在森林中漫步的大象踏入这滩糊状的积水，种子就会粘在它们的脚上。大象试图摆脱这黏糊糊的东西，于是会捡起树枝和树叶。当大象在森林中踩踏时，它们黏糊糊的脚会摩擦崖爬藤的根部。很快，留在藤蔓上的种子就会生长成更多的巨型花朵！