No. 7/2008 - Tfbc.frim.gov.my - frim

Photo credit: Wilkie P. 

By Avelinah Julius (avelinah@frim.gov.my), 

Yao Tze Leong and Ruth Kiew 

In this era, few would think that Peninsular 

Malaysia would yield new 

species and new records of higher 

plants in its forests. Surprisingly, the 

Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project 

NEW SPECIES 

Many Ridleyandra 

(Gesneriaceae) species 

have attractive 

deep purple fl owers 

and this new species 

is no exception. It is 

unusual within the 

genus for its elegant 

habit with pairs of 

leaves spaced on the 

stem. It was discovered 

in the pristine 

forest of Taman Negara. 

has, time and again, stumbled on some very exciting and 

possibly new plant species during their expeditions. Here, 

we take you on a pictorial botanical tour to Gunung Bintang 

Hijau (Perak), Tasik Kenyir (Terengganu) and Cameron 

Highlands (Pahang). Most of the species presented 

here are photographed for the fi rst time and apart from 

capturing the elegant beauty of the plant and its fl owers, 

the features and colours displayed are useful for clarifying 

poorly known or misunderstood species. 

Photo credit: Chew M.Y. 

Issue No. 7 (2008) 

While scrambling up a near 

vertical slope with loose 

peaty soil near Camp Cobra 

at G. Tera (see attached article), 

we were rewarded with 

the discovery of this new 

Henckelia (Gesneriaceae) 

species growing in a shaded, 

slightly underhanging 

rock covered in deep humus.

Continued from cover page 

A 

Ridleyandra atropurpurea (Gesneriaceae) 

is very rare, previously 

known from only two collections, 

the last made almost a hundred 

years ago. The species was poorly 

known with flower colour described 

simply as ‘deep purple’. Obviously 

the colour is not plain deep purple 

because the photograph shows the 

upper lobes are a rich shade of purple 

while the lower lobes have a fine 

white margin and conspicuous white 

lines running into the throat. 

Page 2 

B 

Photo credit: T.L.Yao 

Photo credit: K.Imin 

ENDEMIC AND RARE SPECIES 

C 

D 


Begonia reginula (Begoniaceae) is 

a small rosette herb with attractive 

variegated foliage. Its habitat niche is 

very specific to vertical granite rocks 

close to small streams. The area 

where it was first discovered in Ulu 

Setiu, Terengganu has been clearfelled. 

The recent find in Taman Negara 

is indeed a relief. 

A, B. Trichosanthes quinquangulata 

C. Luvunga crassifolia 

D. Burkillanthus malaccensis 

The colour of the fruit and flesh of 

these rare species, Trichosanthes 

quinquangulata (Cucurbitaceae), 

Luvunga crassifolia (Rutaceae) and 

Burkillanthus malaccensis (Rutaceae) 

have never been recorded until 

now. Both L. crassifolia, an uncommon 

woody climber with a strong aromatic 

citrus smell, and B. malaccensis 

were collected for the first time for 

Taman Negara, Terengganu, while 

the unusual gourd, T. quinquangulata, 

from Cameron Highlands is the 

second record for this species from 

Peninsular Malaysia. 

Photo credit: T.L.Yao Photo credit: T.L.Yao 

It was the young fruits of Diospyros 

conformis (Ebenaceae) that attracted 

us to the tree, which turned out 

to be a hyper-endemic species that 

was only collected once before from 

the Lenggong area, Upper Perak, 

in 1925. The tree was growing on a 

gentle slope of an earth riverbank, 

its canopy spreading over the river 

from a crooked bole, reaching to 

about 20 m tall. 

Continue on page 7

By: Chew, M.Y. (chew@frim.gov.my), 

Kamarudin, S. & Yao, T.L., Kiew, R. 

Gunung Tera (5º21’N 101º54’E; 1556 m above sea 

level) is located at the northern boundary of the 

Gunung Stong State Park north-east of the Main Range 

of Peninsular Malaysia. Together with its sister granite 

peaks – Gunung Saji, Gunung Ayam and Gunung Stong-it 

forms a U-shaped ridge which gives rise to the headwaters 

of Sungai Semuliang. Only Gunung Stong and Gunung 

Ayam have been explored botanically, while the flora on Gunung Tera and Gunung 

Saji remain unknown. 

Our first botanical expedition for the year 2007 was scaling Gunung 

Tera following the “inner route” that is little affected by the tourist traffic to Gunung 

Stong and Gunung Ayam. To overcome logistic difficulties, we engaged 

nine local guides from the resident Baha’s Adventure Team, with Mr. Pauzi 

Husin as the lead guide. The burden on the team members’ shoulders for the 

next nine days was more than 200 kg of equipment and food, with a daily increment 

of an estimated 10–20 kg of plant specimens. 

The nine days we spent scaling steep slopes, traversing ravines, 

scrambling along elephant tracks and busily collecting a total of 360 numbers 

of specimens and 55 vouchers, resulted in a record collection of 315 species of 

plants. Close to 45% of the species turned out to be new records for Kelantan 

and represented a considerable extension of the species range in Peninsular 

Malaysia. 

Page 3 

Snapshots of the flora of 

Gunung Tera, 

Stong State Park, Kelantan 

Team members included experienced botanists, Dr. Ruth Kiew, S. Kamarudin and 

cheerful nature-guides who doubled as heavy-duty porters and superb chefs. 

Photo credit Yao T.L 

Expedition route and campsites 

Day 1 The old logging track traverses 

the lowland and hill dipterocarp 

forests that were logged 

between the late 1970s and the 

1980s. 

Day 2 At this transition zone between 

the hill and upper hill dipterocarp 

forests, the track passes many 

pristine rivers. 

Day 3 The logging track ends at about 

1000 m altitude then onwards 

it was mostly bushwhacking or 

following elephant trails. 

Day 4 The plateau with “padang” type 

open vegetation, clearly visible 

on the topo map, is a highland 

Sphagnum bog. 

Day 5 Cobra Camp to Permatang 

Katak (1176 m), onward to 

Padang Tera (1248 m) and 

Begonia Camp (1299m). 

The ridges covered in lower 

montane forest are largely 

unexplored. 

Day 6 This is essentially wild elephant 

country; in certain places the 

heavily worn elephant 

tracks were a few metres 

deep and formed a maze of 

criss-crossing trails. 

Day 7 The ridge encompasses many 

different types of habitats. 

Descending from Gunung 

Ayam, we followed a 

well-trodden hiking trail. 

Day 8 The main tourist trails, with a 

side trip to ascend Gunung Kob, 

descended to a simple builtup 

base camp at the top of the 

Stong waterfall. 

Day 9 Specialized hunt for the hyper- 

endemic Henckelia calcarea 

on the rocky cliffs of the 

waterfall. 

Continue on page 6

Gunung Tera 

Cryptostylis arachnites (Orchidaceae) holds its brightly 

spotted lip upright, which is unusual for an orchid flower. 

Rhododendron wrayi 

Illicium ridleyanum 

Rhododendron wrayi 

Rhododendron wrayi (Ericaceae) and Illicium ridleyanum 

(Illiciaceae) are relatively common endemics on the Main 

Range. 

Page 4 

Begonia Camp 

Perched on moss-covered boulders 

or occasionally as a low epiphyte, 

this obscure Begonia species is 

undescribed. Common at the camp. 

The Golden Balsam, Impatiens oncidioides 

(Balsamaceae), named after 

the “dancing-lady orchid”, Oncidium, 

is endemic and was thought to 

be confined to the Main Range. 

This new species of Ridle 

ously on peat soil above a 

1000 m altitude.

Gua Bogo 

yandra (Gesneriaceae) grows gregaririver 

in a primary forest at about 900– 

Page 5 

Cobra Camp 

This Didymocarpus sp. (Gesneriaceae) 

grows in thickets 

on a large boulder beside a 

stream. It is probably a new 

species. 

Orchadocarpa (Gesneriaceae) is a genera endemic 

to Peninsular Malaysia. Its only species, 

O. lilacina, was previously known from the Main 

Range. 

Stong Waterfall 

Henckelia calcarea (Gesneriaceae) has only been collected 

twice, in 1924 and 1988. This hyper-endemic species 

grows in a single valley in the hill dipterocarp forest, on 

steep rock faces among leaf litter and a tangle of other 

herbs. 

Photo credit Pauzi H. 

Baha’s Camp 



This diminutive Sonerila (Melastomataceae) 

species grows on shaded, 

moss-covered rock faces at 

500 m altitude in the hill dipterocarp 

forest. This annual tuber-producing 

herb is probably a new species.

Continued from page 5 

An endemic ginger, Alpinia murdochii 

(Zingiberaceae) is recorded for the 

first time from Kelantan. 

Page 6 

Gunung Kob 

Permatang C 

Phaius callosus (Orchidaceae) has 

showy flowers almost 10 cm across 

with rather leathery and waxy petals. 

Padang Ragut 

Maclurochloa montana (Gramineae) is 

in a monotypic genus of bamboo endemic 

to Peninsular Malaysia. It has a 

distinct white band at the nodes. 

Coelogyne radicosa (Orchidaceae) is 

a variable species found on mountain 

ridges of Peninsular Malaysia and 

southern Thailand. 

Batu Hampar Camp 

Viola curvistylis (Violaceae) is a Himalayan 

element in the Malaysian flora. 

Recorded for the first time from Kelantan, 

Agalmyla parasitica (Gesneriaceae) 

is a climber with a white stem.


1 

Photo credit: K.Imin 

A mountain species, Clethra hendersonii (Clethraceae) is recorded 

only from Perak, Pahang and Selangor. We found this rare 

plant along the Gunung Irau trail in Cameron Highlands. Its white 

showy flowers are strongly and sweetly scented and the plant has 

potential as an ornamental. 

Photo credit: S. Lee 

2 Photo credit: T. L. Yao 4 

Page 7 

3 

Aeschynanthus rhododendron (Gesneriaceae) 

is an endemic climber known locally as “monkey’s 

lipstick” . 

Photo credit: K. Imin 

Photo credit: C. L. Lim 

1. Henckelia miniata (Gesneriaceae) 

is a striking plant when in full bloom. 

Its bright red flowers are unusual for 

the genus Henckelia. This rare endemic 

was known only from forest of 

Bukit Bauk, Terengganu, which was 

heavily disturbed by road extension. 

It was collected from Sg. Ayam Forest 

Reserve, Terengganu. 

2. This rare, tiny (c. 5 cm tall) flowering 

plant is an ephemeral and elusive 

saprophyte, sprouting up from 

thick leaf litter in the wettest months. 

Thismia arachnites (Burmanniaceae) 

derives its name from its spiderlike 

flower extending from a tuberous 

base and slender stem. Not only 

is it difficult to spot in the field, the 

preservation of the specimen also 

presents another challenge. Drying 

to make a herbarium specimen looses 

many important characters so it 

needs to be preserved in spirit. This, 

however, dissolves the colour so it is 

especially important to make a photographic 

record. 

3. A woody epiphytic climber, Agapetes 

scortechinii is a beautiful ericaceous 

plant that is restricted to the 

Main Range from Cameron Highlands 

to Fraser’s Hill. Its tubular, 

bright red flowers, which are about 3 

cm long, are exceptionally striking. 

4. Pittosporum reticosum (Pittosporaceae) 

is found on a few mountain 

summits in Peninsular Malaysia. It is 

conspicuous when the yellow fruits 

mature and split open to reveal a 

mass of bright red pulp. 

Continue on page 8



Field notes, including photographs, 

are important and sometimes crucial 

in understanding species. Baccaurea 

scortechinii (Euphorbiaceae), 

which has strings of a few angular, 

dark pinkish fruits growing from the 

trunk, has been confused with B. 

parviflora, which has deep purple, 

smooth, spindle-shaped fruits produced 

around the base of the trunk 

and lie on the ground. 

NEW RECORDS 

Photo credit: H.M.Kamarul 

NEW RECORDS OF ALIEN SPECIES 

Photo credit: M.Y.Chew 

Sagina japonica (Caryophyllaceae) is 

a nondescript little herb with a rosette 

of linear leaves that at a glance could 

be overlooked as a grass or sedge. 

The minute, white, five-petalled flowers, 

however, place it among the dicots. 

It is a roadside weed and is a 

new record for Peninsular Malaysia. 

Not known when it was (accidentally) 

introduced, it is now common in several 

places at Genting Highlands. 

While exploring forests 

to the east of Tasik 

Kenyir, Terengganu, 

we encountered a peculiar 

annonaceous 

tree, unusual for its 

large trunk size (about 

20 cm diameter) and 

its massive bunches 

of fruits hanging from 

the foot of the tree. It 

proved to be Sageraea 

cauliflora, a new 

record for Peninsular 

Malaysia. This species 

obviously fruits 

very rarely. 

Photo credit: A.Julius 

A species of buttercup, Ranunculus 

(Ranunculaceae), was an unexpected 

find at Cameron Highlands, a horticultural 

and agricultural hotspot prone to 

invasive alien plants. Its bright yellow 

flowers and dissected leaves identify 

it at once as a true buttercup. The 

genus Ranunculus has not been recorded 

in Peninsular Malaysia before 

although there is a native species, R. 

lowii that grows on the summit of Gunung 

Kinabalu. It is difficult to identify 

exotic species, especially when the 

country of origin is not known. Its species 

identity is currently being investigated. 

Errata for Issue No. 6 (2007) 

A ray of hope for Dipterocarpus 

semivestitus once thought extinct. 

“Young leaves of Dipterocarpus 

semivestitus...” is replaced 

with “Young leaves of Shorea 

hemsleyana...” 

The Mesmerising Vulnerable 

Masked Finfoot (Helopais personata). 

The scientific name of 

masked finfoot is Heliopais personata. 

More recent reports showed 

that the distribution of this vulnerable 

bird may extend beyond the 

range stated in the article, i.e., 

Taman Negara and Royal Belum 

State Park, where these birds are 

normally seen. 

The Editor: Conservation Malaysia Bulletin, Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 52109 Kepong, Selangor D.E. (attn: Dr. Lillian Chua 

lilian@frim.gov.my or Dr. Saw Leng Guan sawlg@frim.gov.my). Conservation Malaysia is distributed free of charge upon request. 

We welcome any contributions or feedback. Send contributions or address comments and queries to the editor. Past issues are 

available at http://www.frim.gov.my/tfbc. Funded by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities. Design by Aslina Baharum 

(FRIM). 

Editorial team: Dr. Lee Su See, Dr. Laurence Kirton, Dr. L. G. Saw and Dr. Lillian Chua.

No. 7/2008 - Tfbc.frim.gov.my - frim

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