An Epithemia

An ephemeral Epithemia that would set seed and die off suddenly - this one has been growing wild at my plot for years now - originally probably coming from seed heads from a limestone hill in Pahang.

Red traps of Nepenthes sanguinea

A couple of sanguine beauties were sun tanning in the highland of Ulu Kali....

...attracted by their beauty and sweet nectar, daring pleasure seekers on high walk on the threshold of death ....

....unbeknownst to them, a couple of skinny dippers lying motionless at the bottom of the chalice had already paid their dues ....
Nepenthes sanguinea is a highland carnivore confined to Peninsula Malaysia and Thailand. Although reputed to be common by Charles Clarke, the intense colouration and large size (about 30cm tall) of the specimens still managed to capture our undivided attention. This species has extrafloral nectaries on the pitchers, which explain the accumulation of ants at the peristome. In some Nepenthes species, the nectar contained a substance that disorientate the ants which are observed to dance round and round the peristome. I tried to close in to see what the ants were feeding on and it appears to be either the sticky film or those white powdery stuff on the peristome. Surprisingly in our encounter, no ants were found inside the pitchers yet....just a fly and a harvestman.

Dipteris conjugata

This horticulturally interesting fern is found in many places in East Asia, mostly in lower montane areas but has also been recorded in coastal areas in the lowlands, including Singapore. Botanists believe it is a very primitive fern - maybe even a living fossil, so one can imagine a vegetarian dinosaur munching on it during the Mesosiac period.

I found stands of this plant growing on open slopes in Fraser's Hill. These plants need open space with much light in order to thrive. Their demise in some parts of Singapore had been attibuted to crowding out by exotic weeds.
The palm-shaped fronds are large - about 50cm across ....

....and the venations give it a very interesting texture but so far I have not seen it in the horticulture trade. Is there anyone out there growing this ?

Bulbophyllum membranaceum

A tiny, widespread but easily overlooked orchid that is still found in the shrinking primary forest of Singapore.