Rare Rafflesia species found in Sabah east coast forest reserve

Research assistant Jeisin Jumian poses next to the rare Rafflesia keithii in the Silabukan forest reserve.

KOTA KINABALU: Forestry researchers have found a rare species of the Rafflesia parasitic flowering plant called the Rafflesia keithii in the Silabukan forest reserve, some 50km east of Sabah’s eastern Lahad Datu district.

The 14-member team from the Sabah Forestry Department were conducting a forest inventory when they stumbled upon the plant in full bloom recently.