Isolation and morphological characterization endophytic fungi from rotten flower of rafflesia kerri, in Lojing Highlands, Kelantan

Rafflesia kerri is a rare parasitic flowering plant native to Southeast Asia, known for its large, short lived flowers. Despite its ecological uniqueness, studies on the fungi community associated with decaying tissue of this plant are still limited. This study was conducted to observe the morphological characteristics and changing growth period of fungi isolated from decaying petals and ovaries of R. kerri. The fungi were cultured on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium, and macroscopic and microscopic characteristics such as colony color, texture, and fungi appearance were recorded. Radial growth measurements were performed daily until the fungi colonies completely covered the surface of the Petri dish. The results showed variations in colony morphology and growth rate, with full growth occurring within 3 to 9 days of study depending on the sample. These morphological data contribute to basic knowledge of the diversity of fungi in decaying Rafflesia tissues. For better studies, molecular identification approaches such as DNA barcoding can be used to accurately identify species and understand their ecological roles.