Nepenthes bokorensis

This is a view of Bokor Hill (1080 masl) taken from the city of Kampot.

Fantastic.




And these are some pictures of the landscapes:











Some non carnivorous plants:










François.

This is a very sad reality of our times, and makes it all the more imperative that those who visit these sites are able to harvest some seed when they can. Access to these plants can change overnight without warning.

Thank goodness you did that François, and now these plants will be safely grown in cultivation. Some limited collection of plants should also be allowed in order to assure that they survive these things, unrooted cuttings are fairly safe; and the original plants and populations will not be affected. It is the only way to assure both male and female plants, and also those unique sports often found in a population. Collections of entire plants, roots and all, are just wrong, and dangerous, as some of these plants are infested with nematodes and other root parasites.

Other tragedies can also wipe out an entire population overnight as in the case with N. clippeata, which was destroyed by fire.

Even here within the USA, it happens; a few years ago, I noticed heavy equipment in a site where Cypropedium acaule grew in the thousands, along with a few other terrestrial orchids, Botrichium ferns and Lygodium palmatum, and several other rare botanical gems. Orchids are supposed to be protected from development, so I went to the local municipality, and informed them of this, and the habitat destruction must stop. They told me that the would look into it. But a year later, all those orchids and ferns were bulldozed into oblivion, where now stands yet another McMansion development, mostly unoccupied by the current real estate debacle.

I regret not getting the AOS involved with legal action, and trusted the local township to do the right thing, but obviously, where large sums of money are involved, such "minor impediments" are quickly overlooked and dismissed. The Golden Rule: He who has the gold, makes the rules.

Just my $0.02 worth.

- Rich

Hopefully, I've sent more than 100 seedlings to serious growers. On top of that, after the discovery of the plants last year, I've sent seeds to major nurseries and seasoned growers. N. bokor should appear in their catalogue in the near future.

I'm currently working on placing some plants in Botanical Gardens. I already know Paris' will be glad to host some.

I think the species will be soon widespread in cultivation and if the plant does survive after the capitalist onslaught on Bokor Hill and becomes rare (on the verge of extinction?), it will present very limited interest to poachers.

I hope too that the species grows somewhere else in Cambodia. I have a record of a western population but I have to check that.


François.

That's a funny reply Sam but I guess it's an accurate one.

I think I am quite aware of the state of the world but, still, like a naïve child, I can't help to marvel or to be disappointed in front of such common matters.

You know what? Wrecking Mount Bokor wild life just gives me the incentive to work harder:

I should be given soon the authorization to collect herbarium material (from Paris and Phnom Penh institutes). I will thus embrace the same crusade that my friend Marcello: increase the knowledge, make maps of the species, collect seeds when it is possible, write papers...

If N. bokor happens to be endemic to Bokor Hill, I will even try to make the CITES service classify it in the annex I.

Some of you are calling me a dreamer? You think I don't know it will be a hell of a fight?
Then, go to hell! Just sit and look forward to enjoy the results!

Nuff' said ;D

(I want my innocent girlfriend back! ;D)!


François.