Ladies, this plant is for you.

The centre oil palm tree (above)
 is where the Lipstick plant grows

 I had a pleasant surprise upon seeing the Lipstick vine ( Aeschynanthus spp) that hugs the oil palm trunk at Zone B (see inset) producing flowers.  For a couple of days I have been watching the moment when the flower will reveal its full blooming glory. The Lisptick vine is a native plant in Sarawak or Borneo Island for that matter where it naturally grows on trees close to rivers and streams.  The flowers look like a red lipstick poking out of a deep red holder.  The leaves are waxy and succulent . This plant does fine on a hanging basket.

Near blooming stage

The flower starting to full bloom.

Bright purple flowers of a jungle treelet

Purple flowers of a jungle treelet
Location : Botanic Island Two

CU of the purple flowers
Species unknown.

 I was amazed at the bright purple flowers of a jungle treelet while passing through the Botanic Island Two this afternoon.  It did not produce any scent unlike the jungle vine I encountered yesterday which had flowers mildly scented.  The Botanic Island Two has come out with more surprises lately.  The vegetation island has a rich collection of tall forest trees, treelets, palms and vines.  Among the palms, the climbing palm species or 'Rattans' of various species are also found within the area.

Jungle treelet with bright purple flowers
Location : Botanic Island Two

Vines or lianas at Botanic Island Two

From tiny buds to scented flowers

A flowering jungle vine or liana
Location: Provinsi Liana, Botanic Island Two

Flowers are mildly scented

 One of the strict standards of performance at the park is the preservation of jungle lianas or climbers, especially those that form the natural biodiversity here. There are at present four botanical islands that act as sanctuaries for these jungle climbers.  Today I encountered one species of a jungle climber which has just about to start flowering.  Just the other day, I took photographs of the buds alone.  Today the buds have burst into flowers.  The flowers are  creamy yellow or pale yellow in colour and are mildy scented.  Not many studies are done on lianas in Sarawak or the big island of Borneo especially their role in the jungle ecology.  So what I think  urgently important is just to preserve them for posterity and later research.  One intriguing aspect of the climbers I find in the park especially in the botanic islands where they abound is their habit of climbing over the tall canopy of big trees and with their weight often snap the top section of the trees.  This act bring down big masses of forest cover and slowly decompose as dead matter on the forest floor.   In the long run, I think they selectively remove the forest ecology of weaker pioneer species to give way for more permanent tall and hard tree varieties.  Secondly, the rotting masses enrich the forest floor with nutrients and cover for the newer and stronger species to thrive.

Jungle vine with flowers.  Species is still unknown.

Provinsi Liana

Provinsi Liana
Zone E

Great Mormon
Papillio memnon agenor

 I was checking out the Botanic Island Two this morning and decided to add another provinsi to the area surrounding the island.  The Provinsi Liana will house the many types of lianas or climbers present there.  The main feature of the Provinsi Liana area the tall trees packed closely together and transversed by a complex web of woody climbers or lianas,  These 'tarzan ropes' are right at my back door.  No need to go to the virgin jungle to see them.  This is the great pleasure of having your own nature park.  To my surprise this morning I encountered the Great Mormon butterfly that was fluttering and flying around the lianas.  All said, I am looking forward to do more work at the Provinsi Liana in the near future.

Pholidacarpus sumatrana palm at center
Provinsi Liana

Paku Kelindang (Iban) - Blechnum orientale

Twisted and coiled into a nice weave pattern

Strong 'tarzan ropes'

From tree to tree...a liana tranversing

Close up of a liana successfully twinning itself to a nearby  tree

Great Mormon (Papillio memnon agenor) among the lianas

In Plain Sight - Provinsi Rattan (Part 6)

Partial view of Botanic Island Two, looking north
Location : Provinsi Rattan, Zone E

Botanic Island Two, showing rattan
trailing at the center.

 Of all the Provinsi or Plain areas, the Provinsi Rattan is the most wild in nature.  This is because in the Provinsi are located two Botanic Islands viz Botanic Island Two and Three.  At the Botanic Islands are preserved many forest trees for posterity.   At the inset is a view of Botanic Island Two , looking south.  Both Botanic Islands have rattan growing naturally in them, besides original jungle trees, unique palms, lianas and forest climbers. Presently there is one wild Rambutan tree that is fruiting profusely.  Seen also is a wild forest climber belonging to the Bauhinia species that is flowering in orange glory.  Below are more pictures of the attractions at Provinsi Rattan .....

Provinsi Rattan - home for rattan collection -  7 rattan species are available on site

Botanic Island Two - showing lianas and climbing rattan, at center

Stream at Provisi Rattan
Location : Botanic Island Three

The big tree at center is the wild Rambutan tree
Location : Provinsi Rattan, between Botanic Island Two and Botanic Island Three

Wild rambutan fruits

Colourful Bauhinia spp. climber growing wild over the forest canopy
Location : Botanic Island Two, Zone E

Highlights today at the park - 16 May

Stick inset , at Botanic Island Four (Zone I)_

Bromheadia finlaysoniana

 When they fly past,  you can see their reddish wings against the light.  There are many of these stick insects in the park and they look fragile in flight.  Wild orchids can be found too but the most common terrestrial orchid is the Bromheadia finlaysoniana (see inset).  Below is shown a clump that is about 1 meter tall.  The beautiful white flowers are fragrant.

Bromheadia finlaysoniana orchid clump, Zone G

Lengkan (Iban) - Ficus grossularioides

 The Lengkan (Iban) is a small tree that is found in many places at the park, preferring open secondary areas and unfertile soils.  The young leaves are edible so are the young fruits.  It is rich in protein and manganese.  The 'Senduduk' ( Melastoma malabathricum) has soft berry-like fruits consisting  numerous seeds that are attractive to many wildlife especially birds.  More interesting plants here are the Rabbit's Foot Fern and the  'Akar Riwet' (Flagellaria indica) of which the latter is used to cure erectile dysfunction as used by the Berawans of Sarawak.

Lengkan (Iban) - Ficus grossularioides

Rabbit's Foot Fern - Davallia denticulata hugging to the oil palm trunk.  The leaves are used for floral arrangement.

Senduduk (Malay) - Melastoma malabathricum

Senduduk (Malay) - Melastoma malabathricum

Akar Riwet ( Berawan) - Flagellaria indica
It is a climber and looking similar to the rattan.  Among the Berawan people of Sarawak it is used as a remedy for erectile dysfunction and to chase away evil spirits.
Location : Zone B

Red young leaves of a jungle climber
Location : Botanic Island Two

Training the Drunken Sailor

The Drunken Sailor (Quisqualis indica) climbing the Nangka tree (Jackfruit) - Artocarpus heterophyllus

 It took about two years to see the Drunken Sailor finally having a good grip at the Jackfruit tree.  One of the concept of the Kambatik garden is to train climbers to creep trees.  By doing so they provide colours as well as attractive to birds.  The flowers are fragrant and produced in large bunches.  One interesting feature is the unusually elongated calyx tube which could be mistaken for  a flower stalk.  Though it can be propagated by cuttings, I find the more successful way is to use the root suckers.  The flowers and leaves are often perforated by beetles and grasshoppers.

Pick of the park - Quisqualis indica

Drunken salior (Quisqualis indica)
Family : Combretaceae - Combretum family

Pick of the park - Passiflora foetida ( Letup - Malay)

Ripe fruit with the sweet and delicious pulp...the soft seeds can be be chewed

The early birds have eaten the pulp and seeds...