You can imagine how impressive this plant is, and I couldn't resist capturing it on canvas again. These are the real-size flowers of Sapria himalayana (family Rafflesiaceae), endoparasitic plants growing on the roots of Tetrastigma sp., hidden under the leaf litter. The sight of this parasitic bloom always a reminder of how life in the forest often thrives in the most unexpected and symbiotic ways. At first, we found tiny "cabbage heads" of pink-magenta color in the forest, near a huge ficus growing in the arms of another vine — Entada. It looked very unusual, and we decided to come back in a week to see the transformation of flower buds. So we did, and it exceeded all our expectations. The large flower stood out among the brownish foliage with its color, and its structure was also surprising.

At that time, I had not yet come across information about Sapria, but I guess it is now a more well-known local curiosity. Back then, my first enthusiastic thought was: "Rafflesia!" But when the plant was identified, it was no less a pleasant surprise. Afterwards, we observed Sapria during its flowering season for several years and were able to notice a slight difference between the female and male flowers of this dioecious plant. And, of course, we appreciated the not-so-strong, but noticeable, unpleasant smell that attracts pollinators — bright green flies and ants.