Rare orchid and new species may be exhibited
Tuesday August 14, 2007
By Christina Koh
TANAH RATA: A rare orchid and an Amorphophallus species unique to Cameron Highlands might soon go on display once it is proven that they are new discoveries.
Cameron Highlands district officer Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdul Rani said they were considering showcasing the plants at the Cameron Highlands Mountain Park in Parit Falls set up by Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and the Forestry Department.
The park, expected to open this year, will feature mountain flowers, orchids and other plant species, especially those endemic to Cameron Highlands.
“The two plants would be a testament to the region’s rich biodiversity and a valuable attraction for eco-tourists,” Mohamad Noor said.
One of the plants is an Amorphophallus plant recently discovered by a group of scientists led by Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat during a FRIM botanical expedition.
Mohamad Noor said the plants, which came in two variants of purple or white flowers, had been surprisingly found growing near the side of the road at the foot of Gunung Jasar.
“A team from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak is now studying the Amorphophallus plant to determine if it is a new species, and if it could be safely moved to a new habitat,” he said.
He added that the plant could be unique to the highlands, since other Malaysian Amorphophallus species were all usually found in the warmer lowlands.
“In Indonesia, the Amorphophallus plant is called bunga bangkai because of its corpse-like stench. However, the ones in Cameron Highlands are much taller,” he said.
The other new discovery Mohamad Noor was hoping to display is the rare Monomeria orchid, a genus of orchid previously not found anywhere else in Malaysia.
Environmentalists Embi Abdullah, 59, and N. Madi, 52, first came across the orchid last year while trekking in the jungles of the Ruil mountains. -- The Star.
Showing posts with label orchid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label orchid. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Captivated by Orchids
Captivated by orchids
By Clara Chooi
Tuesday July 17, 2007
Orchids have always fascinated Sin Chan Wah, a farmer in Cameron Highlands.
The 50-year-old farmer from the town of Ringlet was seen fawning over his precious blooms during Clearwater Flora Fest 2007 at the golf resort in Batu Gajah recently.
In fact, Sin’s orchids practically stole the entire show.
Of the 400 entries sent in from across the country for the com- petitive event, Sin’s most treasured orchids clinched both grand titles: Best Plant and Best Species.
Sin’s Paphiopedilum barbatum, better known as the Lady’s Slipper because of its shape, won the show’s Best Plant category, while his pre-cious Stanhopea Jenishiana, a South American breed, won the Best Spe-cies category.
South American breed:Sin admiring his Stanhopea Jenishiana blooms.
Sin said that he purchased the latter at RM80 from a local dealer 18 months ago.
“In fact, it only began flowering not long before the show,” he said.
Sin also won first prize in the Show Plant category for one of his orchids in the Onicidium group.
“I always admired orchids be-cause they are special looking plants. In fact, that was why I got into the orchid business in the first place,” he said.
He added that he first started out in the farming business by growing mushrooms in 1985.
“After a while, I realised the business was not very appropriate for me at the time so I began plant- ing strawberries,” said the father of two.
About three years ago, Sin disco-vered a new passion in orchids and decided to venture into it.
He is currently an orchid hybr-dizer and has his own nursery at Bertam Valley, Ringlet.
“My wife is very much in love with the flowers too. In fact, she devotes much time tending to them,” said Sin.
The flora fest, organised by the golf club in collaboration with the Perak Orchid Society, was held from July 13 to July 15 in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2007.
The event saw the participation of 14 orchid vendors across the country as well as the Orchid Society of South East Asia from Singapore and the Taiwan Orchids Grower Association. -- The Star
By Clara Chooi
Tuesday July 17, 2007
Orchids have always fascinated Sin Chan Wah, a farmer in Cameron Highlands.
The 50-year-old farmer from the town of Ringlet was seen fawning over his precious blooms during Clearwater Flora Fest 2007 at the golf resort in Batu Gajah recently.
In fact, Sin’s orchids practically stole the entire show.
Of the 400 entries sent in from across the country for the com- petitive event, Sin’s most treasured orchids clinched both grand titles: Best Plant and Best Species.
Sin’s Paphiopedilum barbatum, better known as the Lady’s Slipper because of its shape, won the show’s Best Plant category, while his pre-cious Stanhopea Jenishiana, a South American breed, won the Best Spe-cies category.
Sin said that he purchased the latter at RM80 from a local dealer 18 months ago.
“In fact, it only began flowering not long before the show,” he said.
Sin also won first prize in the Show Plant category for one of his orchids in the Onicidium group.
“I always admired orchids be-cause they are special looking plants. In fact, that was why I got into the orchid business in the first place,” he said.
He added that he first started out in the farming business by growing mushrooms in 1985.
“After a while, I realised the business was not very appropriate for me at the time so I began plant- ing strawberries,” said the father of two.
About three years ago, Sin disco-vered a new passion in orchids and decided to venture into it.
He is currently an orchid hybr-dizer and has his own nursery at Bertam Valley, Ringlet.
“My wife is very much in love with the flowers too. In fact, she devotes much time tending to them,” said Sin.
The flora fest, organised by the golf club in collaboration with the Perak Orchid Society, was held from July 13 to July 15 in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2007.
The event saw the participation of 14 orchid vendors across the country as well as the Orchid Society of South East Asia from Singapore and the Taiwan Orchids Grower Association. -- The Star
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Rare orchid found in Malaysia
Rare orchid found in Malaysia
Wednesday February 21, 2007
IPOH: The mysterious orchid picked up by two environmentalists deep in the jungles of Cameron Highlands has turned out to be the rare Monomeria barbata – a first for Malaysia.
Embi Abdullah, 59, who stumbled across the orchid with his friend while trekking in the Ruil mountains last year, said the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and the French Orchid Society had recently confirmed the genus and species.
Exciting find: Embi examining the orchid, which has been confirmed as ‘Monomeria barbata’.
The Monomeria barbata, first discovered 200 years ago in Nepal and the Eastern Himalayas, grew only in cool weather on treetops some 1,600m to 2,000m above sea level, he said.
“This is an exciting breakthrough for Malaysia because this genus of orchid – the Monomeria – has never been found here before.
“The plant has been recorded in Nepal, north-eastern India, Vietnam and Myanmar, but never in Malaysia,” he added.
“This canopy orchid is also rarely found in the wild even in its countries of origin because of ongoing development now,” said Embi, who has studied orchids for over 15 years.
According to a scientist from FRIM, Embi and his friend N. Madi were not the first to discover the orchid as another Malaysian had brought it back for identification about two or three years ago.
However, this has not damped Embi's excitement as he has been asked by the French Orchid Society to submit a paper describing the Malaysian variant of the flower.
Although the flower is now widely available among orchid enthusiasts in Europe, the Monomeria barbata found in the Cameron Highlands might be unique to Malaysia alone.
“There is a difference between our plant and those in Europe. The colour on the surface of the lip is yellow on theirs, while ours is brown.
“In Europe, the plant is also described as small and miniature but ours is medium-sized,” said Embi. - The Star.
Wednesday February 21, 2007
IPOH: The mysterious orchid picked up by two environmentalists deep in the jungles of Cameron Highlands has turned out to be the rare Monomeria barbata – a first for Malaysia.
Embi Abdullah, 59, who stumbled across the orchid with his friend while trekking in the Ruil mountains last year, said the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and the French Orchid Society had recently confirmed the genus and species.
Exciting find: Embi examining the orchid, which has been confirmed as ‘Monomeria barbata’.
The Monomeria barbata, first discovered 200 years ago in Nepal and the Eastern Himalayas, grew only in cool weather on treetops some 1,600m to 2,000m above sea level, he said.
“This is an exciting breakthrough for Malaysia because this genus of orchid – the Monomeria – has never been found here before.
“The plant has been recorded in Nepal, north-eastern India, Vietnam and Myanmar, but never in Malaysia,” he added.
“This canopy orchid is also rarely found in the wild even in its countries of origin because of ongoing development now,” said Embi, who has studied orchids for over 15 years.
According to a scientist from FRIM, Embi and his friend N. Madi were not the first to discover the orchid as another Malaysian had brought it back for identification about two or three years ago.
However, this has not damped Embi's excitement as he has been asked by the French Orchid Society to submit a paper describing the Malaysian variant of the flower.
Although the flower is now widely available among orchid enthusiasts in Europe, the Monomeria barbata found in the Cameron Highlands might be unique to Malaysia alone.
“There is a difference between our plant and those in Europe. The colour on the surface of the lip is yellow on theirs, while ours is brown.
“In Europe, the plant is also described as small and miniature but ours is medium-sized,” said Embi. - The Star.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Hopeful of discovering new orchids
Hopeful of discovering new orchids
Tuesday February 20, 2007
Common but precious: Dr Jaap Vermeulen with wild orchids found at many roadsides in Cameron Highlands.
IN 2002, Dr Jaap Vermeulen purchased an orchid plant from a nursery in Cameron Highlands because he knew it could well be a species new to science. He later described the plant and named it Bulbophyllum ochthodes.
In a recent collection trip with researchers from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (Frim), the orchidologist could hardly believe his luck when he came across the same species perched on a mossy branch in the montane jungle.
“That was the first time I saw it in the wild,” says the expert in the orchid genus Bulbophyllum. He has described more than a third of the 3,000-odd Bulbophyllum in the world.
“If we find a single plant and are not sure if it’s rare, we take a little for description purposes and leave enough for it to grow in the wild. We’re rather careful with that,” he explains.
The lanky Dutch is one of many plant scientists engaged under the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project to share his expertise and guide the pool of young botanists. He has also conducted an illustration workshop for Frim staff. Illustration of plants is an important component in documenting them for scientific publications.
Vermeulen is the orchid curator with the National Herbarium of Netherlands in Leiden that has a wide collection of plant specimens from this region and a long-running collaborative arrangement with Frim.
As if to further sweeten his memory of Cameron Highlands, Vermeulen left for Leiden hopeful that he has stumbled upon yet another new species. He has left the budding plant at Frim and is eagerly waiting for the flower to bloom so that he could ascertain its status. - The Star.
Tuesday February 20, 2007
Common but precious: Dr Jaap Vermeulen with wild orchids found at many roadsides in Cameron Highlands.IN 2002, Dr Jaap Vermeulen purchased an orchid plant from a nursery in Cameron Highlands because he knew it could well be a species new to science. He later described the plant and named it Bulbophyllum ochthodes.
In a recent collection trip with researchers from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (Frim), the orchidologist could hardly believe his luck when he came across the same species perched on a mossy branch in the montane jungle.
“That was the first time I saw it in the wild,” says the expert in the orchid genus Bulbophyllum. He has described more than a third of the 3,000-odd Bulbophyllum in the world.
“If we find a single plant and are not sure if it’s rare, we take a little for description purposes and leave enough for it to grow in the wild. We’re rather careful with that,” he explains.
The lanky Dutch is one of many plant scientists engaged under the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project to share his expertise and guide the pool of young botanists. He has also conducted an illustration workshop for Frim staff. Illustration of plants is an important component in documenting them for scientific publications.
Vermeulen is the orchid curator with the National Herbarium of Netherlands in Leiden that has a wide collection of plant specimens from this region and a long-running collaborative arrangement with Frim.
As if to further sweeten his memory of Cameron Highlands, Vermeulen left for Leiden hopeful that he has stumbled upon yet another new species. He has left the budding plant at Frim and is eagerly waiting for the flower to bloom so that he could ascertain its status. - The Star.
Treasure trove of rare species
Treasure Trove of Rare Species
Tuesday February 20, 2007
Serious business: Dr Saw Leng Guan (right), head of the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project, scrutinising the wild pitcher plants collected by nursery operator Tai Teck Boon.
WHEN Tai Teck Boon was a young boy growing up in Cameron Highlands, he witnessed constant deforestation for vegetable farms and other development projects. He saw huge ancient trees brought down together with many wild, epiphytic plants such as orchids.
Valuable specimen: This flowering rhododendron is collected to enrich the Kepong Herbarium.
“It was such a pity to let the orchids die just like that. So, I took them back and grew them,” recalls the 60-year-old from Brinchang. His hobby later turned into a business and he has been running a nursery for 40 years selling mainly montane plants.
Unwittingly, Tai has rescued many plants from possible extinction, such as the one that Dutch orchidologist Dr Jaap Vermeulen described as Bulbophyllum ochthodes.
Over the years, Tai’s wild collections have grown into a treasure trove of rare and endangered species that attract researchers and enthusiasts, locals as well as foreign. He readily allows scientists like those working on the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project access to his collections.
Little green wonder: Mosses found in a ditch next to a vegetable plot in Cameron Highlands.
Project director Dr Saw Leng Guan admits that collaborating with nursery operators can be a “tricky” undertaking as a bona fide scientist would not want to be seen as endorsing such commercial activity. However, given the difficulties in obtaining certain rare plants, he says researchers have to work with private collectors.
Tai insists that he is not breaking any laws because he merely picked up ”discards”. His nursery was previously raided by Department of Forestry staff when word about his huge collection of wild plants got around but the enforcers did not find any incriminating evidence.
Saw says enforcement is hampered by the absence of laws. “Unlike the Protection of Wildlife Act that protects fauna species, our flora species are largely unprotected. Until we get our act together, the loophole will be exploited.”
Forest beauty: A herbaceous plant that thrives in the understorey of tropical forests and on slopes in the montane jungle of our highlands.
Clearing of forests requires a licence from state forestry departments but it is silent on non-timber products extracted from the concession. There is indication that illegal collections do occur in Cameron Highlands for high value species such as orchids, either for personal collections or nurseries that cater to overseas collectors.
Tai, however, might be a different sort of collector – he does not to hide his collection and is willing to share them. Given his vast experience in dealing with plants, he is assisting in the setting up of the Montane Flora Conservatory under the Cameron Highlands Montane Park project – a collaboration between Forest Research Institute of Malaysia and Pahang Forestry Department.
The conservatory at Brinchang aims to be the central depository for montane species in an effort to preserve them for conservation, research and education. It houses collections from Frasers Hill, Gunung Jerai and Cameron Highlands and will soon be opened to the public.
- The Star.
Tuesday February 20, 2007
Serious business: Dr Saw Leng Guan (right), head of the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project, scrutinising the wild pitcher plants collected by nursery operator Tai Teck Boon.
WHEN Tai Teck Boon was a young boy growing up in Cameron Highlands, he witnessed constant deforestation for vegetable farms and other development projects. He saw huge ancient trees brought down together with many wild, epiphytic plants such as orchids.
Valuable specimen: This flowering rhododendron is collected to enrich the Kepong Herbarium.“It was such a pity to let the orchids die just like that. So, I took them back and grew them,” recalls the 60-year-old from Brinchang. His hobby later turned into a business and he has been running a nursery for 40 years selling mainly montane plants.
Unwittingly, Tai has rescued many plants from possible extinction, such as the one that Dutch orchidologist Dr Jaap Vermeulen described as Bulbophyllum ochthodes.
Over the years, Tai’s wild collections have grown into a treasure trove of rare and endangered species that attract researchers and enthusiasts, locals as well as foreign. He readily allows scientists like those working on the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project access to his collections.
Little green wonder: Mosses found in a ditch next to a vegetable plot in Cameron Highlands.Project director Dr Saw Leng Guan admits that collaborating with nursery operators can be a “tricky” undertaking as a bona fide scientist would not want to be seen as endorsing such commercial activity. However, given the difficulties in obtaining certain rare plants, he says researchers have to work with private collectors.
Tai insists that he is not breaking any laws because he merely picked up ”discards”. His nursery was previously raided by Department of Forestry staff when word about his huge collection of wild plants got around but the enforcers did not find any incriminating evidence.
Saw says enforcement is hampered by the absence of laws. “Unlike the Protection of Wildlife Act that protects fauna species, our flora species are largely unprotected. Until we get our act together, the loophole will be exploited.”
Forest beauty: A herbaceous plant that thrives in the understorey of tropical forests and on slopes in the montane jungle of our highlands.Clearing of forests requires a licence from state forestry departments but it is silent on non-timber products extracted from the concession. There is indication that illegal collections do occur in Cameron Highlands for high value species such as orchids, either for personal collections or nurseries that cater to overseas collectors.
Tai, however, might be a different sort of collector – he does not to hide his collection and is willing to share them. Given his vast experience in dealing with plants, he is assisting in the setting up of the Montane Flora Conservatory under the Cameron Highlands Montane Park project – a collaboration between Forest Research Institute of Malaysia and Pahang Forestry Department.
The conservatory at Brinchang aims to be the central depository for montane species in an effort to preserve them for conservation, research and education. It houses collections from Frasers Hill, Gunung Jerai and Cameron Highlands and will soon be opened to the public.
- The Star.
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