Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Balanophora fungosa

Balanophora fungosa ssp. indica var. indica

Description:

Male inflorescence of Balanophora fungosa ssp. indica var. indica (Note: ssp. = subspecies; var. = variety). Balanophoraceae is a subtropical to tropical family of obligate parasitic flowering plants. The plants are normally found in moist inland forests growing on tree roots and have an aboveground inflorescence with the overall appearance of a fungus, composed of numerous minute flowers. The inflorescences develop inside the tuberous underground part of the plant, before rupturing it and surfacing.

Habitat:

Forest floor, tropical rainforests.

Notes:

Photographed in the jungles of Pahang-Perak, Malaysia.

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

4 Comments

KristalWatrous
KristalWatrous 12 years ago

Yes, the male inflorescences of B. fungosa ssp. indica var. indica look very much like your photo.

ZulhilmiGhouse
ZulhilmiGhouse 12 years ago

I checked every single one of the pictures, and it seems like B. fungosa ssp. indica var. indica. Can you guys take a look again?

KristalWatrous
KristalWatrous 12 years ago

B. papuana seems reasonable. Here's a great resource for Balanophora photos: http://www.parasiticplants.siu.edu/Balan....

craigwilliams
craigwilliams 12 years ago

Maybe B.papuana

ZulhilmiGhouse
Spotted by
ZulhilmiGhouse

Ipoh, Malaysia

Spotted on Jun 8, 2010
Submitted on Nov 4, 2011

Related Spottings

Balanophora Urupé Balanophora Fungus Root

Nearby Spottings

Taractrocera ardonia Leaf-footed Bug Dusky Leaf Monkey Mud skippers
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team