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 Found these while walking in the jungle near KL We were walking Sox in the bush one weekend when we stumbled upon what looked like wild chestnuts (berangan liar) on the forest floor. I looked up and the trees are all rather tall. Scattered around are the fruits, some still in the pods. I have seen chestnuts fruits in Malaysian jungle before but these ones do not have spiny shells. Continue reading Malaysian wild chestnut (berangan liar) maybe?  We paddled through a lagoon covered in lotus We were out paddling our kayaks and canoes on Perak river when we chance upon an area covered with lotus. It was a rather hidden spot, shallow and mystical. While we saw some of the flowers blooming, many had withered away and some dying. Continue reading A lagoon of lotus plants on Perak River; Part V There are a lot of interesting jungle plants on the trail to Perlus waterfall. A botanist will surely have a good time exploring this jungle for its entire flora splendor. Nature guide John Chan pointed out several types of Senduduk besides a variety of other useful plants.
It’s interesting to find out why the high concentration on bamboo in this area. Perhaps it is because of the soil and the terrain. As we walk further we come upon an opening with bamboos criss-crossing the entire trail.
The bamboo version of ‘Entrapment’? Bamboo is probably another one of the most useful plant one can find in the jungle. In a survival situation, bamboo can be used to obtain drinking water, build shelter, start fire and even provide food. The shoots of young bamboo plant is a popular local food, known locally as Rebung.
A Rebung The following are some interesting jungle plants I manage to capture during the trek.
Not a clue what plant this flower belong to
The shoots of a bamboo
Nice flower
A close-up of the flower
This flower looks like something from an alien movie
Ouch…not something you’d want to hang on to
Symbiosis or parasite? Okay…okay…the photos are not the best. Hey…I am learning. In any case, there’s simply too many things to just stop and photograph. I doubt if I will ever be able to arrive at Perlus waterfall that way. I reckon it would be even more interesting if I can be with John at the front of the walking party to learn as much from him. Throughout, I was behind…taking on the ‘sweeper’ role as a cover-up to my lack of stamina catching-up with the rest. Next…Tropical jungle animals of Perlus Waterfall
Conquering Gunung Janing Barat (GJB) was not in itself the objective of our visit to Endau Rompin. We were climbing GJB hoping to catch a glimpse of a few tropical jungle marvels. Among them are the ant plants, the fan palms and the pitcher plants. I honestly struggled up GJB. It was steep and climbing most of the way. I was huffing and puffing all the way, no thanks to my lack of stamina. The trail was very visible but rather narrow. If you were to stop, you’d have to find a suitable place or otherwise you will be blocking other’s path. Some parts of the trail are rocky and hand line has been put up to help climbers.
Midway up, there is a resting place with a view overlooking jungle canopy for as far as the eye can see.
The trail begins to plateau a bit towards to peak and I suddenly realize that the jungle around me has somewhat changed. I was in a different world! There were Fan Palms (Livistona endauensis) everywhere! Some of the leaves are really huge. At some parts, the leaves are dense enough to create like an umbrella canopy, shielding sunlight from hitting the jungle floor, resulting in an amazing display of bright green areas above. This is one amazing Malaysian jungle I have not seen before. What’s more, the Livistona endauensis is endemic to Endau Rompin!
We couldn’t find the ant plant but there were a number of pitcher plants that we saw. They came in all shapes and sizes.
The hike up GJB caught me by surprise but I was glad that I did it. The reward is really up there (if you are interested in appreciating Mother Nature). If you do decide to climb this mountain, a few word of advice. Happy climbing! If anyone asked me, I’d say Tioman Island’s jungle has more to offer than its beaches or diving sites. That…plus the fact that I don’t dive Anyway, this tropical island’s jungle really packs a punch. The first time I visited the island was for business and I flew in by Berjaya Air. To date, only Berjaya Air’s special (small) plans can land and take off from the tiny airstrip on the island.
It was a business trip that visit, so I did not have much time or opportunity to venture into the jungle. However, I did manage to convince one of the resort’s staff to give me a first hand tour of an old abandoned jungle trail. The trail used to be part of the resort’s activities but it has been abandoned for quite a while due to safety reasons. The trail starts somewhat near the marine center of the resort. A flight of steps that later leads into the bush. The jungle is different. Except for the additional markers of arrows and ropes built in when the trail was operational, the jungle looked really pristine. One thing that really stood out about the jungle is the numerous large stones strewn all over the place
The trail took us about 1 hour to complete. It was a real eye opener that walk. Tioman jungle can only be described as different and mysterious. Probably mysterious enough to entice me for another visit. NOTE:Find out more about this tropical island of Tioman by scrolling the ‘Label’ section on the right hand side of this page. |
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