Rafflesia arnoldii which then pollinate the rare plant. It is not to be confused with the titan arum, "Amorphophallus titanum", which is also commonly referred to as the "corpse flower" because of its repulsive odor. "Rafflesia arnoldii" is rare and fairly hard to locate. It is especially difficult to locate the flower in forests, as the buds take many months to develop and the flower lasts for just a few days. The flowers are unisexual and thus proximity of male and female flowers is vital for successful pollination. These factors make successful pollination a rare event. When "Rafflesia" is ready to reproduce,
Rafflesia Forest Reserve are strongly advised to bring medication. Visitors are advised to wear shoes and socks and long pants. The Rafflesia are located on the mountainside and 2 hours of hiking is often the norm to see them. Shoes and socks offer some protection against tiny leeches that live under the leaves and dead foliage. The Rafflesia Centre is closed until further notice(January 2018). Along the way up to the Rafflesia Information Centre from Kota Kinabalu is the newly opened Kipandi Butterfly Park. Highly informative guide and recommended for shutterbugs. Rafflesia Forest Reserve The Rafflesia Forest Reserve covers an area of 356