TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

RAFFLESIACEAE

RAFFLESIA FAMILY

George Yatskievych

Perennial, stem- or root-parasites lacking chlorophyll, generally monoecious or dioecious
Stem reduced to thread-like tissue underground or inside host stem
Leaf scale-like
Inflorescence: short spike or flower solitary
Flower generally unisexual, radial, fleshy; sepals 4–16, often fused at base; petals 0; stamens 5–many, fused to style axis forming a column that is generally expanded at tip into a disk with stigmatic areas or stamens along or under margin; ovary ± inferior, chambers 1–several, placentas parietal
Fruit various, generally fleshy
Seeds many, minute
Genera in family: ± 8 genera ± 50 species: worldwide, especially tropical. Poorly known taxonomically. Rafflesia species have world's largest flowers (1 m diam); Pilostyles flowers are < 2 mm diam.