Rafflesia in Mount Leuser National Park, Indonesia: An updated distribution and conservation status Ridha Mahyuni (a*), Yayan Wahyu Candra Kusuma (b), Syadwina Hamama Dalimunthe (a), Yusran Efendi
a)Herbarium Bogoriense, Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km. 46, Cibinong, West Java 16911, Indonesia. E-mail: ridhamahyuni[at]gmail.com
b) Research Center for Ecology and Ethnobiology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km. 46, Cibinong, West Java 16911, Indonesia
c)Jl. Belat No. 101C, Sidorejo Hilir, Medan, Indonesia
Abstract
New localities and updated distribution of two endemic Rafflesia species from Mount Leuser National Park, namely Rafflesia lawangensis and Rafflesia micropylora are reported. R. lawangensis is formerly known only from its type locality in Tualang Gepang, Bukit Lawang area (North Sumatra Province). The new locality of R. lawangensis is Tangkahan (North Sumatra Province), about 10 km from its type locality. Other new localities are also reported for R. micropylora. Until recently, the distribution of R. micropylora is known only in Sungai Jernih, Lokop, Ketambe, Lawe Mamas, and Kuala Kompas- all of them are located in Mount Leuser (Aceh Province). We found two new localities of R. micropylora, the first is in Batu Katak (North Sumatra) and the second locality is in Cinta Raja (North Sumatra). Information about new localities of Rafflesia species is very valuable and important for their conservation. Based on their latest distribution, R. lawangensis is assessed as Critically Endangered, while R. micropylora is assessed as Endangered. In this study, a complete distribution map of Rafflesia micropylora and R. lawangensis and an identification key are also provided.
Keywords: Conservation status- a new locality- North Sumatra- Rafflesiaceae- Tetrastigma
