Natural world update by Tom McLaughlin.

Photos show the various stages of Schismatoglottis persistens. — Photos by Peter C Boyce

A new plant

A STRANGE plant has been found along Sungai Pedali – a stream which flows into Sungai Sumpa near Batang Ai.

The plant was located in the upper growing regions of a hill above the high water mark. A search only located a single specimen.

Tissue from the plant was brought back to the lab and it grew well for several years in shady conditions but did not flower.

When the plant was exposed to more light, a flower erupted looking like a long white shaft coming from a hood below it. The leaves holding the flower browned away and the plant was named Schismatoglottis persistens.

The plant comes from a rhizome, which is a stem just under the soil. From this structure, leaves are sent upwards and roots downwards.

From this angle, the plant was originally thought to be a Phymatarum, but the flower proved otherwise. The flower is remarkable because it has both a rhizome and a flower.

‘Studies on Schismatoglottideae (Araceae) of Borneo XXXIX: Schismatoglottis persistens, a new rhizomatous rheophytic species for the Schismatoglottis Multiflora Group’ by Wong Sin Yeng and Peter Boyce, Wildenowia 44-2014.

The saga of the Wedge Beetle

We begin with the collector Dr John Frederick Muir, who had been employed by the Sugarcane Association in 1907 to identify a beetle species to control the sugar cane borer in Hawaii.

His travels took him to China, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

While in Borneo, he sent a specimen of the Wedge Beetle to William D Pierce of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, USA.

Terse notes on the label show how the beetle was forgotten: “Pierce left in 1918”, “Got Swartz to find it”, and “called to the attention of Herbert S Barber but Muir refused to take it back”.

Photos show the Rhipidocyrtus muiri. — Photos by Michael S Engel

Readers might recall that it was Barber, who supposedly found Ali (of Alfred Wallace fame) on Ternate Island, now part of Indonesia, in 1907.

Barber dissected the beetle but the pinned animal and its various slide mounted parts became separated. They would remain separated for 50 years.

In 1996, a PhD student, Zachary H Falin, noticed the parts and discovered nothing in scientific literature. He discovered that a collection of Wedge Beetles had been loaned to John K Bouseman of the Illinois Natural History Survey around 1980.

Needing the material for his dissertation, it was transferred to the University of Kansas. He was struck by the Borneo specimen, but nothing happened for the next 14 years.

Coincidentally, Falin and Dr J Kathirithamby were sitting in the same room at the Smithsonian Institution, while working on different insects. She noted one specimen that she was working on was not Strepsipterans but Ripiphorids. Falin was working on Ripiphorids and instantly recognised them as the long lost parts to the Borneo Beetle. It was thus recognised and named Rhipidocyrtus muiri after the person who found it.

Three years later, the Wedge Beetle received its name after three institutions, five experts and 107 years later.

‘Serendipity at the Smithsonian: The 107-year journey of Rhipidocyrtus muiri Falin & Engel, new genus and species (Ripidiinae, Ripidiini), from jungle beast to valid taxon’ by ZH Falin and MS Engel (2014).

Fossils discovered in China

Twenty-eight fossil orangutan teeth from the Early Pleistocene (1.2 million years ago) have been found in the Chongzuo Ecological Park in Guangxi, southern China.

The teeth are coarser than those of existing orangutan in Sumatra, suggesting a more unrefined diet.

The name given to the organism is Pongo pygmaeus weidenreichi.

Further study needs to be done to determine its place in evolutionary history.

For more go to www.sciencedirect.com.

The fossil orangutan teeth were found in Chongzuo Ecological Park.

The Malaysian Nature Society

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/10/19/natural-world-update/#ixzz3H4DcusjX

Community service schemes prove successful at wildlife sanctuary by Rintos Mail, reporters@theborneopost.com.

The Engkari River where the tagang system to restore fish stocks is implemented.

IN the past, there was so much misconception and protest over the gazettement of Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary (LEWS).

When the government gazetted the forests as national parks, the local people said the area would be given away for logging.

Now, they realise the gazettement is a government effort to conserve the environment and they are helping to stop unscrupulous people entering the area to catch their fish or hunt the protected animals.

The mindset of the people living near LEWS has changed. They no longer depend solely on the forests for their livelihood.

Fish rearing and fruit farming have not only helped solve their food supply problems but also brought additional income to families and longhouses surrounding the Sanctuary.

As headman of Rumah Anthony Bau confessed: “We’re very grateful to the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), for sponsoring the community development project (CDP) in our longhouse.

“We also thank the Sarawak Forest Department for implementing the project which has helped improve our livelihood.

“Besides, the initiatives undertaken by the two agencies have also raised awareness among us not to be too dependent on the natural resources found in LEWS for our livelihood.”

The CDP was implemented by the Forest Department’s Community Service Initiatives (CSI).

Anthony recalled at one time the relationship between the local communities, including those from his longhouse, and Sarawak Forestry was a bit strained.

This, he noted, was due to the community’s own fault, as they had blindly protested the setting up of LEWS.

“We protested because we weren’t aware of Sanctuary’s importance to us, especially when we relied solely on the forest and its resources for a living.

“Now, I thank the two agencies for their community projects which have made it easier for us to earn a living from other sources,” he said at the launch of the tagang system at his longhouse.

Antiaris toxicaria (ipoh tree) sap for blowpipe poison is found at the Sanctuary.

The headman said families at his longhouse were learning to become more enterprising and had been earning additional income from the indigenous fruits they planted and fish they reared in valley ponds.

He said aside from that, the relationship between the local community and Sarawak Forestry had become more cordial, adding that they always fully supported any development involving the local community in his longhouse.

The 19-door Rumah Anthony Bau is one of the longhouses located near LEWS. It’s  about 40km from Sibu and between three and four hours boatride from Nanga Entabai in Jalau.

LEWS, covering 193,039 hectares of relatively undisturbed primary forest, is located in southwestern Sarawak.

The area includes patches of rugged terrains and hills, and Bukit Lanjak forms the highest peak which stands 1,285 metres above sea level.

Formerly constituted as a protected forest, the area was reconstituted as a Wildlife Sanctuary in February 1983 due to large presence of orangutans and hornbills.

It is believed there are over 30 Iban longhouses in the area, located along Sungei Engkari, Katibas, Ngemah, Kanowit and Mujok.

When the Sanctuary was set up, the longhouses were granted rights to collect forest produce in three designated areas. The activities, however, impacted negatively on the Sanctuary.

Cooperation from the local communities was also lacking in the past as they did not understand the purpose of conservation and felt the government was depriving them of the use of the forest in LEWS that provided their many daily needs.

Illegal encroachments into these areas, particularly by local communities, were still occurring then.

However, strategies to reduce their dependencies on the forest were put in place. These included involving the local communities in managing the Sanctuary and boundary clearing as well as employing them to work at the Ranger stations.

Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh said the government had appointed community leaders in the area as honorary wildlife rangers and special wildlife committee members.

Following the appointment, the leaders will report illegal activities to the wildlife authorities or police.

They are also responsible for educating their own communities on the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998 and other wildlife issues as requested by the Controller of Wildlife and other wildlife staff.

(From left) Julau MP Datuk Joseph Salang, Datuk Len Talif Salleh, Wan Shardini and Tuai Tumah Anthony Bau sharing a light moment during the launch of the tagang system at Rantau Tapang, Ulu Mujok in Julau.

Moreover, they are required to advise and help wildlife staff conducting field programmes in their areas, particularly on local wildlife issues and problems as well as provision of relevant background information.

The Rangers and the committee members are also involved in discussions, enforcement and decisions pertaining to the management of the Wildlife Sanctuary.

“Through this initiative, the government hopes the local community and their leaders will become its eyes and ears in its effort to preserve the protected forest and prevent illegal encroachment,” said Len, formerly the director of forest.

He added that with this kind of active participation by the local people, the management of the Sanctuary had been more efficient and acceptable to the communities in the surrounding areas.

With the collaboration of ITTO, the Forest Department has also successfully implemented a Community Development project in the buffer zone, actively involving local communities in various activities.

Sarawak Forest Department deputy director Wan Shardini Wan Salleh said since the implementation of the ITTO-supported project in 1992, the Department had encouraged and helped the local community within LEWS to rear indigenous fish and cultivate indigenous plants, and also trained them in some kind of basic technical knowledge in agro-forestry, fish culture as well as park and wildlife management.

He said throughout the implementation period, some 30 valley ponds had been built while over 50 plots of indigenous fruits had been developed within LEWS buffer zone through gotong-royong.

“Aside from that, the local community were also involved in other activities like research, monitoring and natural environment studies.

“About RM10 million had been spent to implement these activities over the last 22 years,” he said.

An important component of the project is the integration of the use of resources and conservation in the buffer zone outside the Sanctuary.

The local communities are encouraged to develop various projects on plant and animal species of economic potential to supplement their income, at the same time reducing their dependencies on the resources of the sanctuary.

Farmers were selected to participate in the cultivation of indigenous crops.

These crops were selected based on their potential for domestication and commercialisation and in consensus with the participants.

In addition, the farmers were provided with commercial fruit species, some of which are non-seasonal in an effort to have an integrated orchard to ensure fruit supply on a daily basis.

With active participation in these activities, the local people spent less time in the forests of the Sanctuary to look for wild fruits and other jungle produce.

They were also taught to monitor and record the growth performance of the plants and to submit it to representative of the Forests Department or ITTO.

The local communities view the project very positively as admitted openly by Anthony Bau.

He said the community now valued the Sanctuary, particularly its rich natural resources, clean water and fresh air.

The landscape of Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary. — Photos courtesy of Forest Department.

They appreciate the great potential benefits that can be derived through a joint effort with the government to sustainably manage the natural resources.

According to Len, the government always tries to implement the community’s economic activities towards a competitive direction based on current development.

“This is important because forest or traditional farming does not guarantee a steady income.

“Because of that, the government always strives to bring changes by encouraging the local community to get involved in commercial agriculture like planting fruit and gaharu trees or fish rearing as an additional source of income.”

The pilot project on fish rearing is said to have been implemented for three longhouses in Ulu Katibas and Ulu Mujok.

Two valley ponds and a concrete tank for fish rearing were constructed by the local communities on gotong-royong with the building materials supplied by the Forests Department or by ITTO office.

The participants were encouraged to rear the high-value indigenous fish such as empurau, tengadak and semah for own consumption and for sale.

Additonally, Sarawak Forestry had assisted in the implementation of the tagang system.

The first one was implemented in 2009 in Ulu Sungai Engkari while the second one was launched by Len recently in Sungai Sugai, Rantau Tapang, Ulu Mujok.

Wan Shardini said the tagang system in Ulu Engkari had been successful.

It is said the residents of three longhouses in the Ulu Engkari have learnt the techniques of restoring fish resources in the river through the tagang system introduced to them five years ago.

Following the success, residents from Rumah Anthony Bau too have adopted such system.

The system at Sungai Sugai was only implemented in December last year and the fish have returned.

At the official launching of the tagang system at his longhouse, Anthony said they had noticed an increase in the fish stocks in Sungai Sugai five months after implementation.

“Our tagang system was implemented late last year and it has started to show the depleted fish stock in our river is being restored.

“This is good for our future,” he said.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/10/12/community-service-schemes-prove-successful-at-wildlife-sanctuary/#ixzz3H4DMhikM

Birding workshop weekend by Cynthia Lobato

A group tries to spot birds.

DID you know that birding is a very popular activity these days and that people travel across the world to see a specific bird that might not be the most colourful, but is a rare or endemic species? Tourists might come just to see a hornbill because Sarawak is often advertised as the Land of the Hornbills.

For real birders, it is a challenge to find a tiny bird that is on their bucket list. One of the most sought-after groups of birds by real birders are the pittas, which are very beautiful, but a challenge to see or find in the forest since they are very shy.

Some other birds are beautiful with bright colours but others a bit dull in some people’s eyes, but for birders that may be the one they want to photograph or see through their binoculars (called bins by birders).

Birders will write in their birding notebooks the bird species, place and date. As a guide, you don’t show them birds that are common and easy to see in many places but try to locate the one they came to see.

Another rare bird is the Bornean Bristlehead, which is endemic to Borneo and birders will fly from the United States of America or other places, and pay a lot of money for a good guide to show them this particular bird. They don’t want to see it in a cage or in a bird park, but want to walk around in the forest and hope to see it.

I was lucky being one of the 25 participants to join a three-day workshop sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Selangor and Kuching branches. They successfully held a Beginners Bird-Watching Workshop for licensed tourist guides from the Sarawak Tourist Guides Association as well as Sarawak Forestry Corporation staff and park guides.

Participants compare their notes with field guides.

The three-day workshop in August took place at Borneo Highlands Resort (BHR), a popular birding destination in Sarawak, which is also an Important Bird Area. Endemic birds of Borneo that can be seen at Borneo Highlands, but are hard to find elsewhere, include the Bornean Barbet and the Pygmy White-eye or Bornean Ibon. Dusky Munias are endemic but not specifically for Borneo Highlands.

Two trainers from MNS Selangor branch explained how to use binoculars and bird field guidebooks, to draw a bird and add details that you see through the binoculars, adding colours to the parts you see and how this helps to identify (ID) the bird. Some of the participants were park guides and others tourist guides and some hoped to become good bird guides.

Wildlife conservationist, naturalist, writer and birder Ron Orenstein explained how much people would pay to get a good bird guide with good recommendations by other birders through Facebook or other social networks or blogs. He gave the inspiring talk ‘Birding Tourism in Sarawak’.

The guides were hoping to improve their skills by attending this workshop. The trainers also played the sounds of several birds and told us to learn to listen, to try to ID the birds by means of their calls. We also had to study bird field guidebooks in our free time and go out and learn how birds behave, listening to the sounds. I must say it’s not very easy and will take some time to be able to ID a bird from its sound.

Early the next day from 7am till 10am, we went in different groups with a trip leader and started looking around. We learned not to point at birds since they might get scared thinking you are pointing a gun at them, to be as quiet as possible by only whispering to each other and to wear dull clothes.

We slowly looked around. We saw many birds flying so fast that we could not identify them so they didn’t count. My group was lucky to see nine different birds. They had to sit still on a branch to give us enough time to write down what we saw through our binoculars. In class we had to check with our notes, discuss and look in a bird field guidebook on Bornean birds.

Another field trip was from 3pm till 5pm and it was hard to see birds, but birds also rest when it’s hot and become more active in the late afternoon.

We birded at different locations around BHR to ID birds. With the basic birding skills acquired over the weekend and spending time birding and reading bird field guidebooks, the trainers assured participants they should be able to ID birds within a reasonable time.

The trainers were impressed with participants’ enthusiasm and hoped a few participants would become serious birders and bird guides.

The impression I want to leave behind is to instil a love for birding and protecting their habitats, while at the same time sharing our birds’ diversity with people from around the world.

For more go to http://ronorenstein.blogspot.com, http://birdiwitness.blogspot.com, www.xeno-canto.org, and http://ibc.lynxeds.com.

Also read ‘Phillips’ Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo: Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan’ by Quentin Phillips and Karen Phillips, and ‘A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo’ by Susan Myers.

Participants confer on what they have seen.

The Malaysian Nature Society

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/10/12/birding-workshop-weekend/#ixzz3H4Cta6Sn

What do Sarawakians really think about endangered wildlife poaching? By Patricia Hului @pattbpseeds

ARAWAK’S BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE is protected under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1998 (Chapter 26).

The ordinance separates the endangered species into two lists, Totally Protected Species which covers animals such as clouded leopard, orang utan, and proboscis monkey.

Then there is the Protected Species list. Some of the animals under this list can usually be seen making their way onto dinner tables of restaurants and longhouses.

The list includes all bats, pangolin, porcupines, sun bear, all soft-shelled turtles; all monitor lizards and all pythons.

For Protected Species, one requires a licence from the Forest Department to keep them as pets, hunt, kill, capture, sell, import or export them; which most of us are not aware of.

Bakunparadise is a public Facebook page dedicating to promote Bakun area as a tourist paradise. The usual posts consist of picturesque views of the dam and areas surrounding it.

But recently on Sept 28, Bakunparadise posted an eyebrow raising photo of a dead clouded leopard and a juvenile wild boar with caption, “After attacking two dogs and almost attacked a hunter, this leopard is dead. #wwfmalaysia where is your awareness programme?”

A posting on Bakunparadise of a clouded leopard that got killed after allegedly attacking the hunter and two dogs. The Borneo Post SEEDS screenshot.

The admins of Bakunparadise also commented, “Logging and massive deforestation for agriculture purposes have left these animals nowhere to stay. It is inevitable when the animals came across with hunters who search for food.”

Yet, the most interesting part is not the photo of the dead leopard but how the public responded the situation.

Sometimes we can find lies and false sentiments on social network sites (SNS), but these sites are also a place where some express their honest opinions.

Although it was allegedly an accidental kill of a Total Protected Species, the response to this particular Bakunparadise post, offers some insight on what a small portion of Sarawakians truly think about killing any wildlife or trading them.

Under the name Monica Sedai, a netizen commented “We can kill animals but don’t abandon human babies.”

She continued, “In the bible have said, we humans have given the power over all living things, as long as we don’t kill humans. So don’t worry.”

Fabian Law disagreed with her, “It is true God have given us the power over living things but humans also responsible to defend and protect all animals from extinction right?”

He added, “Such a pity a beautiful and rare animal have to die like this. There should be more awareness to avoid killing like this”

Another Facebook user, Michaelmick Mick said “Cook that leopard for medicine. Delicious”.

Hunt Simo Haya suggested the leopard should have been kept as a pet and another user Otto Otto wanted its teeth.

Not all applauded the hunter for killing the leopard, Normin NY stated the hunter should have just chased the leopard away, not killing it.

“Too cute to die,” said Orlanda Grace Guree.

Roscha Mapang Leo gave another comment, “To avoid such thing, the government has to be responsible by giving better living to those who live in the rural areas especially those who hunt for living.”

What do you think?

We asked The Borneo Post SEEDS’ readers on what they thought of endangered wildlife poaching and trading, here are their two cents.

Sebastian Conrad

Although he never personally encountered any endangered wildlife animals being traded or hunted so far, Sebastian Conrad was well aware of the situation here in Sarawak.

Based in Bintulu, the 28-year-old engineering clerk stated, “I think to stop endangered wildlife hunting or trading is quite impossible since we know that in Sarawak there are lots of habitats for wildlife.

“But what we can do to help to prevent these activities is to tighten the laws, for example, license for firearms and we can also organize the exhibition on wildlife to create the mindset of the younger generation about the wildlife in Sarawak,” Sebastian suggested.

Olivia Chin

As for Olivia Chin Ei Ching, to stop both endangered wildlife trading and illegal poaching here in Sarawak is tricky.

She stated that wildlife trading depends on demand, saying “When there is demand there will be supply”.

When there is no demand that is when the supply too stops.

Living in Kuching, Chin said she was not fully aware of wildlife was trading or illegal poaching that happening here in Sarawak as she never came across people selling exotic meats or hunters bringing home hunting souvenirs.

Chin commented “No ordinary people can do poaching. It usually is someone familiar with the jungle. Poachers are paid handsomely I guess. The market price for exotic meat is high and maybe’ exported out the country”.

She also pointed, “Deforestation could be the main culprit. Imagine no more homes for them. Then this forces them to go further out away from jungle for food so they eventually become easy target”.

“If the forest is still deep and thick, I’m sure any humans venture into it may not come out alive”

Sim Kuan Yew

“I know it is happening but I’m not sure of the magnitude”, said Sim Kuan Yew.

Based on his experience, Sim shared “I’ve come across hunters who hunt wildlife for their own consumption such as wild boars, deer, and the sort. I’ve even heard about some of these hunters eating our hornbills, commenting about how tough the hornbill meats are”.

Sim stated, “I think the problem for a lot of illegal things including but not limited to the possession of wildlife animals is that we never really try to arrest people who own them”.

He added, “If we start to catch people who own exotic wildlife we’ll slash the demand, therefore we’ll slash the incentive of supplying to such demand in terms of affirmative action I think this is the only way”.

The 26 year old master student of educational administration stressed that we have to punish not only the suppliers but also the customers.

Unlike Sebastian, Sim thought that education and awareness is useful in the long run but it’s too slow for now.

Commenting on medicinal values in exotic wildlife, he said we can’t do much except keep showing people there are no scientific proofs to them.

Will illegal poaching ever be stopped here in Sarawak? Sim answered, “I’m afraid I’m not very optimistic about this idea. Due to the fact that Sarawak is a big area and it’s hard to control the whole area to prevent this from happening,”

He continued, “But I am sure that it can be reduced with newer generation coming in. There will be less people wanting to be a part of endangered poaching or trading as more and more people are getting educated.”

So, what now?

The truth is, public awareness on endangered wildlife hunting trading varies here in Sarawak.

For instance, someone who has lived and breathed city air since birth might think killing any kind of rare animals is repulsive and wrong.

Those who live in the rural areas and have seen their grandfathers, fathers bringing home animals from hunting would think it is normal that animals are hunted for food or sold for extra cash. One may argue that animal conservation is a luxury that cannot be afforded by those who depend on the jungle to eke out their living.

Regardless where we stand in this matter, we are all human, the highest place on the food chain.

The late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin once said, “If we can teach people about wildlife, they will be touched. Share my wildlife with me. BECAUSE HUMANS WANT TO SAVE THINGS THAT THEY LOVE.”

Perhaps if all Sarawakians shared the same love for endangered wildlife, these animals could escape extinction.

Totally Protected Species of Wildlife in Sarawak

Protected wilfdlife in Sarawak

A rare sight/site by Alan Rogers

The Rafflesia in full bloom. — Photo by Mary Margaret

SABAHANS and Sarawakians can boast about having the largest flower in the world growing in Borneo.

However, how many of us have actually seen this flower in bloom?

I first saw and photographed a painted concrete sculptured version of Rafflesia arnoldii at Mount Kinabalu National Park Headquarters in 1994.

Subsequently I have visited Mount Kinabalu on seven occasions –  memorably in the Millennium year to climb to the summit of Low’s Peak with 26 of my senior biology and geography students.

On each occasion I had hoped to see a Rafflesia in bloom. No luck. It was not until last May, upon returning from Poring towards Kundasang, that I spotted a small sign on the road stating “Rafflesia in bloom”.

This time luck was on my side in following an off-the-road track to a Kadazan Dusun farmstead to witness my dream for an entry cost of RM20. This was the best investment ever in my life!

Rafflesia is a rare plant and although 29 species have been identified worldwide, it is the Rafflesia arnoldii that is the most sought in Sabah and Sarawak. Why was it assigned this Latin name?

We can thank the Swedish botanist Linnaeus for the Latin nomenclature of plant types and Sir Stanford Raffles, then governor of Sumatra, and his botanist companion Joseph Arnold who, in 1818, collected a specimen of the plant.

They were not the first ones to discover the Rafflesia for in 1797, French botanist Louis Deschamps had collected another species, Rafflesia patma, on his expedition to Java.

We should remember that the plant was also well known by the people living in the collection areas and throughout its range.

Rafflesia arnoldii, found at an altitude of 500 to 700 metres in lowland forests in Borneo, Sumatra and Java, is the largest Rafflesia species. It grows to around a metre in diameter and weighs up to 11kg.

It is a parasitic plant living off a type of grape vine – the Tetrastigma. Thread-like strands, similar to those of fungi, are embedded in the vine to receive nutrients and aqueous solutions from the vine’s host cells.

A blackish slimy heap is seen as the plant decays.

Amazingly this plant, unlike most, is without chlorophyll and thus cannot undertake the process of photosynthesis. It is unique amongst all plant species for it does not have leaves or roots per se, but only flowers.

Taking energy from the host vine a carbuncle grows out of the vine in a cabbage-like shaped bud. It takes about nine months to develop.

As the bud opens, the true beauty of this flower is revealed with its five petals of red with white spots and yellowish centre with brownish stamens on the male plant and thousands of eggs in the female plant.

The centre of the flower emits smells of rotting flesh to attract large flies and beetles.

These insects pollinate the flower as they flit from one plant to another of these unisexual plants.

For pollination to occur, a male and female plant must be in relatively close proximity. Alas, flowering of the Rafflesia only lasts for around a week.

A pollinated plant will produce a 15-centimetre fruit containing thousands of seeds. Tree shrews and squirrels avidly digest these seeds, which are deposited, through the animal’s excrement, elsewhere on the forest – frequently far from a Tetrastigma vine.

Although a unisexual plant, female and male species are seldom close together and botanists have calculated that the probability of male and female plants flowering at the same time as less than 80 to 90 per cent beyond the bud stage.

Hence the rarity of this plant. Beyond the flowering stage of five to seven days, the Rafflesia arnoldii deteriorates into a blackish slimy heap of decaying petals. Rafflesia, of any species, is no doubt one of the most difficult plants on earth to research.

Most eco-tourists to Sabah in the Mount Kinabalu National Park and Matang in Sarawak hope to sight a Rafflesia in bloom. Much local income is generated from those who have the luck to own the land where this ‘miracle’ occurs, but sadly on some sites the buds are harvested and consumed for their unproven medicinal qualities.

Worldwide Rafflesia is considered threatened and it is difficult to grow ‘in captivity’ in experimental stations.

With greater management and protection of these plants in various sites in Borneo further botanical investigations of these plants could proceed and still provide that extra income to the farmers and the holders of the lands on which these plants are found.

My RM20 was well spent to see this remarkable plant in its various stages of growth, in bud, in opening its petals, in flower, and in decay all on one small site.

Twenty years of my life have been spent in seeking Rafflesia arnoldii in bloom. At last, this year, my prayers were answered.

Who knows whether this indigenous plant will still be there for others to admire 20 years from now in 2034?

For further information read ‘Plant Life in Kinabalu National Park’ by Willem Meijer in ‘The Malayan Nature Journal’ Vol. 24 (1970-71) pages 184-189 or ‘Plant Life’ by EJH Corner in the Sabah Society Monograph: Kinabalu Summit of Borneo Chapter 6 pages 113-178. This publication has wonderful colour photographs.

The Rafflesia begins as a cabbage-like shaped bud.

The Malaysian Nature Society

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/10/05/a-rare-sightsite/#ixzz3FFT9jMyz

NATURAL FACELIFT FOR PANTAI PUTERI THIS SATURDAY, OCT 11, 2014 - Come & join us!! Register with mns.santubong@gmail.com

NATURAL FACELIFT FOR PANTAI PUTERI THIS SATURDAY, OCT 11, 2014 - Come & join us!! Register with mns.santubong@gmail.com

MNSKB & DBKU are organizing Community Tree Planting - gotong royong style to promote good relations with community members, create environmental awareness & clean up overgrown beach reserve area in order to enhance the area as a recreation spot
Date: 11th Oct 2014 (Saturday)
Venue: Pantai Puteri, Santubong
Time: 8am to noon.
· During the occasion we will plant 30 tree seedlings of rhu laut, jambu laut and bintangor laut donated by Sarawak Forest Tree Seed Bank, Sarawak Forestry Corporation.