Roughly 400 thousand species of flowering plants have been identified so far. A great many more await discovery and documentation. In light of this, compiling a definitive list of the world’s rarest floral species is no simple feat.
But if you want to know which flowers are the rarest in the world, these are the top 10 choices. While some of them only flower once every few decades, others are so rare that they may soon be extinct in the wild. Read on to find out more about these unusual flowers:
1. Stinking Corpse Lily
The stinking corpse lily, or Rafflesia arnoldii, is native to both Indonesia and Malaysia, much like the corpse flower. It can reach a diameter of up to three feet, making it the largest flower on earth. Smelling nearly exactly like a corpse flower, the stinking corpse lily gets its name from the strong, unpleasant odor it gives off.
The stinking corpse lily is unusual in that it does not appear to have a stem, root, or leaves. The flower has become a symbol of Borneo, so much so that it has been depicted on stamps issued by Indonesia.
