A rare Rafflesia flower has been discovered in peak bloom in a rainforest in Indonesia.

Rafflesia flowers are reportedly among the largest in the world and only bloom for a few days before withering and dying. The flowers are not easily found and mainly grow in rainforests in Southeast Asia.

This one was discovered in West Sumatra's Bengkulu province.

According to Ade Putra, a local forestry officer, the flower was found by a local person on March 10 and was estimated to about three days old at that time and in perfect full bloom.

Putra said: "This flower is part of the Rafflesia flower family but it's not [the more common] Rafflesia Arnoldy. Its name is tuan-mudae and they usually live in Malaysia forests. What distinguishes them is the shape of the hair inside the flower."

Experts describe the plant as a parasitic plant. It has no visible stem, roots or leaves but threads that absorb nutrients from its host plant.

Many people have given it the nickname corpse lily, because it emits an odour similar to rotting flesh that attracts insects to pollinate it.