Saturday, November 22, 2008

Glorious red

Borneo is famous for its variety of pitcher plants. Even the common Nepenthes ampullaria occurs in many forms, and the red ones are reputed to be found only here. Apparently we are looking at a tri-coloured form which I think is the most beautiful of all. Behind the slope where these plants are found lies floral carnage after a visit by bulldozers. This area is slated for development, and soon all will be gone.

.... the prospect of a twentyplus hour flight is already overpowering me....

8 comments:

Hermes said...

Wonderful pictures though such a sad prospect for something so beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Did you try to salvage some ?

Eric Bronson said...

I agree with Ah Meng, you should save some. With something as unique as that it would be a pity to lose it forever!!!!

Hort Log said...

Both of you are right of course. The great contradictions in places like Borneo is that the CITES "protected" plants like the Nepenthes can be destroyed by local developers but not taken out of the country legally.

So even if I did remove some, I couldn't tell...

This international treaty, CITES, which was meant to save flora and fauna, is not drafted well at all, for plants at least - I think.

Hort Log said...

Boarding a flight in a few hours...will be MIA for a a few weeks.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving !

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

I hope you got some to plant at your place if possible. Too much red tape; like everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Ya too much concern with shopping malls and lining developers' pockets is all too often the norm in Malaysia :(

Dennis ll said...

Yes this is such a sad state of affair in this part of the world. I know quite a few academics feel that CITES need to be redrafted, but politics is preventing this.

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