65 
however not been found advisable exactly to indicate their 
situation. The Raffesia flowers are so seldom met with, so 
interesting, and so insufficiently studied, that there is every 
reason why we should protect them against damage and des- 
truction, the more, because they are extremely perishable and 
able to die, if the slightest harm has been done to them or 
to the vine upon which they grow, and upon which they 
depend for foodstuffs. The observer has to be conscious of the 
fact, that even the simple cleaning of the ground around the 
buds can be unfavorable for them, and that no vine may be 
cut even scores of metres away from the Rafflesia specimens, 
because they possible could be part of the host, that is nouris- 
hing the interesting parasite. 
A very great part of the Rajflesia buds will apparently even 
under quite normal conditions not reach maturity. In all Ra/- 
jlesia places, visited by me, a great number of dead buds were 
found on my first arrival, and I should not be amazed at all, 
if closer investigation would show, that 50°/, of the buds do 
not reach maturity. 
One of the localities (later to be mentioned as “E") was 
visited by me 3 times, viz. on 10/5, 3/6 and 22/7 1920. The 
first time I found 6 living buds and measured them without 
touching them and without cleaning the ground or cutting 
anything, and I am satisfied that during the period of obser- 
vation the spot has been visited by nobody but me. On 22/7 
three of the buds had reached the stage of flowering but the 
other 3 were dead. 
THE GROWING PLACES: 
a. This locality is very narrow and is situated upon a ter- 
race consisting of tuff, covered by a layer of rolled stones (an 
old riverbed), about 4 M. above the actual level of the river 
Si Anok. The height above the sea is between 700 and 800 M. 
The terrace itself is only about 20 M. broad but yet carries 
big trees, in the shadow of which are creeping the vines, that 
are the hosts of the Rafflesia. A path used by the natives and 
a track made by pigs cross the spot. On my first ce ideay I 
Ann. Jard. Bot, Buitenz. Vol. XXXII. 
