The Lundu road and its seven species of Nepenthes

[sockhom]

Hello

This is the first of many field reports I will post here.
These two weeks in Borneo have been tremendous and I want to thank Jean-Marc, Stewart Mc Pherson, Alastair Robinson, Jacques ("Kinabalu") and all the people who have provided help to set this trip, exclusively dedicated to Sarawak's flora and fauna .
I want to dedicate those posts to my wife, Ellisabeth, who came with me in all the field trips (they were many!) and to Yeo, Rosli and Vino. Those three guys have been the real highlights of our journey.



February 23th 2009.


Elisabeth and I arrived sunday evening in Kuching. We woke up early on monday morning. We have plenty of things to see.
I wanted to see the road leading to the Sarawakian town of Lundu, for it is known for the magnificent lowland Nepenthes specimens that can be found there. I've been told, that in some places of the road's bank, one could find up to seven different Nepenthes species.
I's really hot as you can imagine and temperature quickly reaches towering temperatures. It's only 9 am. I recognize almost at once the typical habitat for some species of pitcher-plants: sunny spots, open soil, sparse vegetation and the widespread "resam fern", Dicranopteris linearis.

I already had the chance to see Nepenthes in the wild but I am nonetheless totally excited. The 18 hours of flight are long forgotten, long forgotten as well is the cold weather of France on a february month...
This is a first time for Elisabeth and, to me, it is a unique moment. I can't wait to meet the famous Bornean species of the great Isle of Borneo!

Plants are supposed to be found quite near to the road. We parked and, quickly, we rush to climb the very steep slopes.



Enough of the talking, shall we go?

Here's the fist species: a very young N. gracilis:

I can't help to smile, thinking how this seedling would look like in a 13 cm square pot in the botton of a terrarium!


Nearby, I spot some pretty pitchers developing on a liana.



Then, I identify N. mirabilis, a species that I am fond of. Surprisingly, I won't have many opportunities to admire it during my trip.




A few moments later, I stumble on Nepenthes ampullaria, in a shady spot, of course. What a beauty!











We're heading toward the summit of the slopes and there, under the shade of a tree, we find an adult specimen of Nepenthes hirsuta. These upper pitchers are really elegant:

I'm glad to see this species which is usualy not a favourite among growers. This plant is similar to the clone I grow at home.

We're diving in the vegetation and I swiftly spot some slender pitchers. I already know that they belong to a pitcher plant species that I'm familiar with...

[sockhom]

Nepenthes albomarginata !





It's a real pleasure to admire this particular species. My eyes are gazing at a swarm of ants, creeping all over a rotten pitcher. Maybe they have found some food in the pitcher corpse?



We have already admired 6 species of pitcher plants. 5, you may say. You would be right. I'm just keeping my favourite species for the end of the post.
Our guide - with whom I get along immediately - has spotted the seventh species. A species that I only know from books because I don't grow it.
This is Nepenthes reinwardtiana.

I'm hypnotized. The pitchers are really beautiful and the foliage, smiliar to N. gracilis', is interesting.





This is becoming a cliché but here are the famous eyespots:



There was one species that I really long to admire, a species, which, to my eyes, really symbolize Borneo, at the same degree than N. rajah or N. ampullaria. This is N. rafflesiana. This is the first pitcher plant I grow, a very variable species and a real gem.

This is that very species that I intend to see when I first walk on those steep Bornean slopes...


and I found it quickly...

It's satisfying to note that what I've learned from books can be so useful in the field: Its was very easy for me to find N. rafflesiana. I recognized the leaves immediately.
This is a carnivorous plant:

I spent a few moments tp look at the upper pitchers, then I glance at the soil, among the low vegetation, in search of the lower pitchers. I can't wait to see them.

[sockhom]

I think I remained silent for a few moments. My wife is amused because, usually when I got so excited, I can't help to speak endlessly... ;D



I'm thinking: "You can't grow this in a fish tank!" ;D






Like I've been told, you can find various "forms" of Nepenthes rafflesiana in the same spot. That morning, I think my love for that particular species became even stronger.








You will all note that I couldn't prevent myself from grabbing the pitchers. Rest assured, I learned to hold my hands on the following field trips.

This is the end of the first field report. It was just only the first morning in Borneo. 12 hours earlier, we were in the aircraft, somewhere between Amsterdam ans Singapore. This was a tremendous start.
The day was not over. The following afternoon, we were heading to the surroundings of the town of Bau, famous for its limestone cliffs ans hills.


François.

[unclemasa]

Great stuff Francois!

One wonders if you can ever be happy now.

Your remark about growing N. rafflesiana in an aquarium prompted a google search. It seem you just need a bigger aquarium.

like this ....





or, better yet, this .....

[twoton]

Hooboy! What an adventure! Say, if you really, REALLY think about it...you don't actually NEED to go back to France, do you? Be honest with yourself. Get a job in Sarawak or Sabah, and live happily ever after!

Looking forward to more!

BTW, are you going to meet up with Ch'ien in Kuching?

[wijaya]

sockhom: Wow, an exciting first part. Do continue with the rest of your trips. I must visit this habitat someday. ;D

Ed

[rainforest]

N. rafflesiana is a species that should never be sold as a tc clone. It should only be sold as seed grown originals. Nature intended for this species to never be cast into a mold.
Love the variations of this species. N. ampullaria and mirabilis are also variable species too.

I would be very interested about the cohabitants of plant species that nepenthes are found growing together with. I believe there is a direct corelation for nepenthes to commensalate with other specific plant species and this could also tie in with symbiotic behavior mechanisms in this species.

M

[sockhom]

Glad you liked the report Michael! ;-))

Hans, unfortunately, I missed Ch'ien! ( and you're right, going back to live in Borneo is really an idea... )

Second report is coming! Bau!


François.

[twoton]

Mar 9, 2009 8:57:48 GMT -10 rainforest said:

N. rafflesiana is a species that should never be sold as a tc clone.

What species should, then?

I would be very interested about the cohabitants of plant species that nepenthes are found growing together with. I believe there is a direct corelation for nepenthes to commensalate with other specific plant species and this could also tie in with symbiotic behavior mechanisms in this species.

What symbiotic behavior do you mean, for example?

[rsivertsen]

Another interesting aspect to this report is the number of Nepenthes species within close proximity, and the conspicuous absence of hybrids! - Rich

[rainforest]

TT,
I'm sure you're well aware of seeing habitat photos of nepenthes in the wild and often the similar leaf or plant type is always associated with a particular species. It is my understanding that these associated plants contribute something to the soil or roots intermingle with nepenthes that allows both to benefit.
It is often seen that particular false staghorn fern is almost in every photo of some nepenthes. I also believe that other species are associated with nepenthes and plants that are found growing together grow better when their host plants are near by.

In Hawai'i, we see this sort of progression. New fresh lava flow, first the lichens, then the ferns, then bigger ferns and other lycopodiums. Then the Ohi'a (Metrosideros collina) germinate on the tree ferns, then splitting them and growing into larger trees, then other trees, like koa coming in, etc. One progresses over another. I feel that nepenthes also grows in these kind of co-habitat ecosystems.

M

[sdcarnivores]

Rafflesiana is still my fav species, even though I can't really grow it outside here.

[obregon562]

excellent report! its got my heart rate up, i can just imagine what your was like actually being there! Wow...what a beginning to a trip! Seriously, i would have trouble leaving such a place. Good luck, and travel safe!

[Robiii]

Mar 9, 2009 8:57:48 GMT -10 rainforest said:

N. rafflesiana is a species that should never be sold as a tc clone. It should only be sold as seed grown originals. Nature intended for this species to never be cast into a mold.
Love the variations of this species. N. ampullaria and mirabilis are also variable species too.

I would be very interested about the cohabitants of plant species that nepenthes are found growing together with. I believe there is a direct corelation for nepenthes to commensalate with other specific plant species and this could also tie in with symbiotic behavior mechanisms in this species.

M

I was quite glad to see this posted, thank you M. I have thinking the same thing to a degree at least, with the large similarity of plant diversity and similar species here (from what I can see from pictures of there and hiking here/ my collection here). I know I'd enjoy seeing nearby surroundings meaning plants only no landmarks etc.

I'll find some of my as close as it could gets to nep world habitat here as soon as I can find the better ones. And next time I go I'll get some more of what I'd think might work from, my knowledge.

Rob

[rainforest]

Hey Sam,
Doesn't a lot of the cohabitant vegetation resemble a lot of Hawai'i's wild flora? I swear I saw uki grass, a lot of the same lycopodiums, and even higher plants. Yet we lack any nepenthesaceae in our indigenous flora. Interesting. I guess that is why Madagascar, India, Australia, Sumatra, all have it since they were once all connected land mass prior to drifting.

M