Rafflesia keithii
Content
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo (Sabah present)
Malesia: Borneo (Sabah), most likely also in E Kalimantan, see R. witkampii under Incompletely known species, p. 36).
Ecology
Host plant Tetrastigma leucostaphylum (Dennst.) Alston ex Mabb., very possibly also T. diepenhorstii Miq. (= T. trifoliolatum Merr.) but proof only from the former with a host plant with very low branches.
Notes
A main problem is still the lack of good documentation and sharp colour photographs of Rafflesia specimens with mature flowers from E Kalimantan.
At first sight this taxon comes close to R. arnoldii as defined in this revision. However, close study of the ramenta reveals that the single, toadstool-shaped ones that are typical for arnoldii are missing in keithii (and in pricei, possibly the nearest relative of keithii). This view is supported by the occurrence of a hybrid at the Mamut copper mine Rafflesia sanctuary in Sabah (Jamili Nais, oral comm.).