World's largest flower blooms in Mt. Napulak

Text by Alvin Joseph Novilla and Sheryll Santander ( UPV Museum )
Photos by Gabriel “Gabby” Gunio     

Mt. Napulak is the highest mountain in Igbaras, Iloilo with the elevation of 1,200 feet above sea level. This is the only mountain in the country shaped like a breast of a lady with a massive stone head on the top.

A full bloomed Rafflesia found in Mt. Napulak

Last February 25, 2005 , six mountaineers from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (AJ Novilla, Gabby Gunio, Leonardo Mooc (Nong Moki), Agnes Acero, Novy Katherene Yulo   and May Marcellana) brave the hot mid-day sun going up to the highest mountain in Igbaras.

The trek started early morning where the group was dropped at Barangay Banbanan in Miag-ao. It took about six hours trekking the Miag-ao river and 4 hours climbing the mountain. The trail was quite dangerous, a single wrong step would cause somebody to fall down the ravine. The consolation for the group was, on our way to the top of the mountain we found the largest flower in the world.

Around 20 budding and three full bloomed Rafflesia flowers scattered in a thickly forested area, about three hours walk from the foot of Mt. Napulak. This rare flower is known to the locals as “uruy”. It is classified as an endangered species and extinct in other parts of the world. Scientifically known as Rafflesia Sp., it is considered as the biggest flower in the world.

In April 2002, Rafflesia was found in Antique. This rare, threatened and scientifically acclaimed largest flower, was known before to have flourished only in Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Southern Thailand, Borneo and Southern Philippines.

The UPV Moutaineers with the Rafflessia

What is Rafflesia? It is the largest single flower in the world. A parasite flower (considered as parasite because of its complete dependence to its host, the Tetrastigma spp., a kind of vine) is 22 inches in diameter. Its petals are like pizza dough and stands about less than a foot high. Without any leaves or stem this kind of flower clings to the vine of   the trees. It blooms about 9-12 months and the blooming happens at night. The flower is in full bloom for 5-6 days, then blackens and wilts. It emits foul odor, which can be smelled to as far as 30 meters away, flies and all kinds of insects roost on its petals to pollinate it. The seed is about a millimeter long and the bud is that of a brown onion and it can grow to as big as a cabbage. The plant grows in shady places.

Habitat protection is one of the key factors in securing the future of this species. And with the discovery of this magnificent flower in Mt. Napulak, tourists and climbers will be surely drawn to the site, thus rising a need to protect the said area.

The girls of the UPV Mountaineering (Von, Nes and M) with the Rafflesia

With this rare flower found in Igbaras, Iloilo, it is another record for Panay Island having this species grow in its mountains, as to previous sightings in Sibalom and San Remegio, Antique, and Leon, Iloilo.