Question

Rafflesia is a____ parasite plant.

Answer 1

Parasitic plants are those plants that live on the other plant or host. They are totally dependent on the host because they derive their nutrition from the host and when the host dies then plants will also die. Example: Rafflesia, Cucusta.

Complete Answer:
- Rafflesia is the biggest flower in the world found in the sea shores of Sumatra and Java and Sri Lanka.
- When plants depend on the other plants or host for their survival is known as parasitic plants.
- Rafflesia is an epiphytic parasitic plant that lacks the chlorophyll or green colour pigment. This is because they have to depend on the host for their nutrition and survival.

Rafflesia is a total root parasite plant. There are four types of parasites that are present:

1. Total stem parasite: Example: cuscuta. They suck nutrients from the stem of the host.
2. Total root parasite: They use to suck the nutrients from the roots of other hosts or plants. Example: rafflesia.
3. Partial stem parasite: Example: viscum. They suck nutrients partially from the roots of the host.
4. Partial root parasite: Example: Santalum. They suck nutrients partially from the stem of the host.

- Rafflesia is also called as the queen of the parasites that grows on the family of Vitaceae. There are about 28 species of rafflesia that are found in different parts of the country. This flowering plant has no stem, leaves or roots.
- Rafflesia show large horizontal gene transfer from their host and this can be seen among the bacteria.

Note: Rafflesia is the biggest flowering parasite plant in the world. It is a total root parasite plant that sucks the nutrients from the root of the other host for their survival. Other examples of parasitic plants are: cucusta, Santalum, viscum, etc.