Medusa

An Argostemma reared its surreal head of flowers above the dark Kalimantan peat swamp forest. This is a small ground herb from the large Rubiacea family.

Peat forests like this are seasonally burnt by locals in this part of the world to clear the land for agriculture use - usually oil palm plantations.

The white Ixora

 It is now the dry season - there was no rain in this forest for 3 months.... yet this Ixora finlaysoniana is in full bloom.

It is found in the more seasonal forest from IndoChina to Thailand and Philippines. Unlike many of its relatives, this species is not commonly in cultivation in the tropics, probably due to its less floriferous nature in the tropical climate.

Mass flowering of Argostemma

Cold swirling clouds shrouded us as we slid out of the dark undergrowth at a highland trail. On one side we were protected from a possibly limb-breaking drop by stunted trees and shrubs ; at the other side was a mossy slope full of white stars ...... 

..... this floriferous population of Argostemma (elatostemma ?) would be one of the justifications of our folly. Argostemma is large genus consisting of about 100 species, most of them in Asia but there are a couple of anamolous species in Africa also.Not all of them are highland type of course but the lowland varieties tend to be less eye catching. The genus as a whole are not commonly grown, which is a pity.

Myrmecodia tuberosa

Out of the 600 genera from the Coffee family (Rubiaceae), there are more than 20 that are known to be Myrmecophytic - which means living in close association with ants. Typically the ants provide nutrients and protection in exchange for the abode. Some of the tuberous epiphytic myrmecophytes, pictured above from Huxley and Jebb's paper, are actually rather interesting horticutural subjects eg Anthorrhiza, Hydnophytum, Myrmecodia, Myrmephytum and Squamellaria. Other genera are less well known, like Myrmeconauclea, Nauclea and Milletia which are large shrubs, trees or vines.

Myrmecodia tuberosa is widely distributed throughout SE Asia and N. Australia. Unlike its close relative Hydnophytum, it is armed with spines which concentrate at its caudex. However, its most effective mode of protection is its tenant - the ants. Mind you these are certainly not the docile critters we are familiar with - they earn their keep ! It has been reported by Maschwitz et al that ants from genus Cladomyrma would linger more than an hour on the body of an unfortunate botanist to inflict painful bites that resulted in red itchy dots for days. Its means of protection is so effective that the even pollinators are deterred - its small tubular white flowers being self pollinating. The berries may be dispersed by the ants themselves but their bright orange colour also attract birds like flower peckers which can take them in mid flight.

Throughout its range, both Myrmecodia tuberosa and Hydnophytum formicarum are consumed by local communities for medical purposes. The water boiled with the whole plant is taken as tonic for liver, heart, digestive system as well as wide range of ailments like cancer, hepatitis and rheumatism. A person I acquainted with once visited New Guinea and brought back a few of these wondrous plants which I had no doubt to be a more exotic species. When I requested to purchase one from him, he was unyielding, claiming that it was needed to treat some undisclosed ailments.

I do not encounter this plant frequently in Peninsula Malaysia but in Sarawak, in the mangroves of Bako, kerangas of various regions and even trees beside a small stream, they occur in very large but concentrated numbers, usually with other ant-loving epiphytes.

A closer look at the entrances to ant chambers within the caudex. This particular form does not have the leaf shield called clypeoli.

Growing with a Pachycentria constricta, another myrmecophyte from Melastoma family, on the same branch.

Hanging over a small brown stream at a depleting forest.


This plant is best grown from seeds as transplanted adults plucked from the trees tend to fare poorly. It should be grown like a succulent and as you can see from the habitat photos, they do grow under the full scorching sun although partial shade would be better for smaller specimens. I found that they tended to succumb to rot more easily than Hydnophytum formicarum. A regular feeding of foliar fertiliser will ensure rapid progress and fruit formation.

Ref:

Huxley, C.R. & M.H.P. Jebb. 1991a. Blumea 36: 1- 20.

U. Maschwitz et al Malayan Nature Journal 1989 43: 106-115

A.F.S.L. Lok et al, Nature In Singapore 2009 2: 231–236

At a Coastal forest

Generally mangroves are not my favourite place ....with their muddy ground, humid pungent air and a potential crocodile lurking somewhere. On top of that, this particular one off the east coast of Malaysia appeared to be infested with belligerent macaques - I took heed of their shrieking war cries and angry barrage of the twigs tossed from up high and made a hasty retreat the day before.

Yet the next day, I returned, with a companion and an umbrella - just in case. I had to get through this mangrove to reach a jungle path behind it and my curiosity was getting the better of me.

Almost immediately, we were met by this critter, which appeared to be a form of plantain squirrel that is larger and more bushy-tailed than its southern cousin...... .... our attention soon turned to the water to find some darting mud skippers - a melancholic looking goby which can breath air....in fact it has been kown to drown in aquariums tanks which have too much water. .... the large orchid Cymbidium finlaysonii is everywhere near the clearings, even growing on the sandy ground. As we ventured further inland, we entered a lowland dipterocarp forest which turned out to be an orchid paradise. I was surprise to see this Dendrobium aloifolium growing in clumps on boulders so near the ground level - I had previously only seen them on fallen logs - usually they are perched high on the inaccessible parts of the trees. This plant had very interesting succulent leaves but its flowers - borned on the long terminal spikes, were minute and unattractive. Bulbophyllums seemingly from section Sestochilus were all over the place - this one dangling above the water was pregnant. It appeared that I had just missed the flowering season as none of them were blooming ..... .... another orchid that looked also like a Bulbophyllm but was in fact Thelasis pygmaea.Draping the branches and rocks are these Dischidia bengalensis .... a common and widespread Asclepiad that lived in close association with ants..... just above our heads are these Hydnophytum formicarum - a curious member of the Rubiaceae family that had hollow chambered stem sheltering ants and many other creepy crawlies - this particular one had a 10cm long centipede curled within. These tenants paid their dues by providing protection and whatever crap and leftovers to nourish the plant.On higher ground and crossing a stream, green and red forms of Nepenthes mirabilis were growing on the soggy banks. Some Dipterocarps had left their winged fruits on the ground ; these would make an interesting potpourri - all I need is a few drops of fragrant oil !As we walked pass this straggler vine and its host, we were reminded once again that even in the seemingly docile plant world, the savage struggle for resources was unrelenting ..... Bad luck for the tree ....its fate was sealed. The straggler constricted and cut through its bark, impeding the flow of water and food, and the tree suffered a slow demise. After it eventually rotted away, only a giant spring-like liana will remain, with one less competitor for sunlight.Trees along the trail were not really very big - this was one of the bigger one, and came equipped with a useful little hollow. The monkeys did not show up this time but the rain did, so we had use for the umbrella afterall. We kept our heads and noses dry....more or less.

Yellow

Subjugated by darkness and dull drone of a midnight torrent, my mind wandered off to a coronal cartwheel that swirled with bursts of imperial yellow and perfumed with a cheerful tinge of fruit that had yet to form.

It felt like a new sunny morning already.

Gardenia gjellerupii is a smallish tree with nice mango fragrance bloom.