Rafflesia magnifica
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Rafflesia magnifica faces severe threats from deforestation and habitat conversion in the Philippines' remaining lowland forests. The species' highly specialized parasitic relationship with Tetrastigma vines makes it extremely vulnerable to forest fragmentation, as both the host vine and the specific forest conditions required for reproduction are easily disrupted. Mining activities and agricultural expansion have eliminated much of its historical range, while the species' slow reproductive cycle and limited dispersal ability prevent rapid recolonization of suitable habitats.
Habitat
Rafflesia magnifica inhabits the understory of primary and secondary lowland tropical rainforests in the Philippines, typically at elevations below 800 meters. The species requires intact forest ecosystems where its obligate host, Tetrastigma vines, can establish robust root systems in the forest floor.
