Patiño S, Grace J, Bänziger H
Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, The University of Edinburgh, Darwin Building, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JU, UK e-mail:
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, , , , , , TH.
Oecologia. 2000 Aug;124(2):149-155. doi: 10.1007/s004420050001.
Rhizanthes lowii (Beccari) Harms (Rafflesia- ceae) is a parasitic plant that grows in the understory of the rainforest in South-East Asia. This plant does not have leaves, stems, or photosynthetic tissue and is characterised by the emission of a strong odour that attracts the natural pollinators, carrion flies. Flowers that volatilise odorous compounds and attract carrion flies, beetles and other insects are often thermogenic. Here we present evidence of both thermogenesis and thermoregulation in R. lowii from microclimate and tissue temperatures measured during different stages of flower development in R. lowii, in natural conditions in Brunei, Borneo. Endothermy was detected in young and mature buds as well as in blooming flowers and even in decaying tissues 3 or more days after blooming. Tissue temperatures were maintained at 7-9 K above air temperature, in both female and male flowers, at all stages of floral development.
大王花（Rhizanthes lowii (Beccari) Harms，大花草科）是一种寄生植物，生长在东南亚雨林的林下。这种植物没有叶子、茎或光合组织，其特点是会散发强烈气味，吸引自然传粉者——食腐蝇。散发有气味化合物并吸引食腐蝇、甲虫和其他昆虫的花朵通常会产热。在此，我们通过在文莱婆罗洲的自然条件下，对大王花花朵发育不同阶段的小气候和组织温度进行测量，给出了大王花产热和体温调节的证据。在幼嫩和成熟的花蕾中、盛开的花朵中，甚至在开花3天或更久后的衰败组织中都检测到了体温自调现象。在花朵发育的所有阶段，雌花和雄花的组织温度都比气温高7 - 9K。
