IS RAFFLESIA AN ANGIOSPERM?

Abstract

The taxonomic relationship of Rafflesia to other angiosperms has always been problematical. Its gynoecium bears no trace of anything that is recognisable as a carpel. In the absence of carpels, Rafflesia has no pistil
and therefore no ovary in the angiosperm sense. Without an ovary, Rafflesia does not develop an angiosperm fruit. The seed is also different from angiosperm seeds, and the androecium bears no resemblance to an angiosperm androecium. Nearly all the morphological features of Rafflesia are not homologous with the corresponding features in angiosperms.