XVI International Botanical Congess

Despite its fame, actual research work on Rafflesia is lacking. Some 83 Rafflesia sites are known in Sabah, of which 69 (80%) are found around Kinabalu area. Various data has been collected from these sites, for example site activity, phenology and reproductive ecology (Nais, 1992' 1997). However, some basic question has remained unanswered, among others, the population structure, the genetic exchange between neighboring population, and the co-evolution of Rafflesia with its host plants (13 species of Rafflesia in 7 species of Tetrastigma). Molecular work should be one of the future emphasis in Rafflesia research. On conservation front, much of the habitat of Rafflesia is devoid of any form of protection. In Sabah, of the total known Rafflesia sites, 41 sites (52%) are devoid of any protection, and 67% of site extinction were caused by shifting cultivation. Within the Kinabalu area, which probably has the most number of known Rafflesia sites in the world, the surrounding lowland areas has no legal protection. As such, conserving Rafflesia also involves working with the local indigenous communities. Our successful Sabah Rafflesia Conservation Incentive Scheme has demonstrated this, which could be a model for other regions where Rafflesia occurs.