Endemic Flora of Gunung Mulu National Park

Gunung Mulu National Park contains a large number of plant species. The park has 17 vegetation zones, with 3,500 species of vascular plants, and 1,500 species of flowering plants, 1,700 species of liverworts and mosses, 4,000 of fungi.  There are 109 species in 20 genera of palms, over 1,700 mosses and liverworts, 8,000 species of fungi, and 442 species of spore-producing pteridophytes, 182 species of orchid, 15 species of carnivorous pitcher plants are recorded.

Mulu’s limestone karst and isolated mountain peaks are home to numerous rare and endemic plants and animals. Notable examples of plants include the one-leaf plant Monophyllaea pendula, which can be seen clinging to the rock face at the entrance to Clearwater Cave; Salacca rupicola, an endemic palm that grows on the cliff outside Deer Cave; wild sago palm Eugeissona utilis, occurring on the steep slopes of Gunung Mulu; Areca abdulrahmanii, which grows on the Setap shales; and the pitcher plant, Nepenthes muluensis, which can be seen near the top of Gunung Mulu.  Iguanura melinauensis and Licuala lanata are endemic to the alluvial plain; Calamus neilsonii are endemic to the limestone.  Endemic mosses include Stereodontopsis flagellifera, Coryphopteria andersonii, Hypnodendron beccarii and Hypnodendron vitiense. The very rare bog-moss Sphagnum perichaetiale can be found in rain gullies in the high forest.

Rubber Tapping & Latex Processing

Tapping

The latex is extracting from rubber tree ( Hevea brasiliensis ) by skillfully slicing a groove into the bark of the tree with a specialty knife.  The trees must be approximately 6 years old and 150mm in diameter in order to be tapped.

The tapping work is done at night or in the early morning when the temperature is lower, so that the latex will drip longer before coagulating.

Ammonia solution are sometimes added to the collection cup to prevent natural coagulation and allow the latex to remain in liquid state.  Liquid latex is used to produce latex concentrate for manufacture of dipped goods or coagulated under clean and controlled conditions.  Natural rubber latex concentrate, is preserved with ammonia solution, contains 60% Dry Rubber Content ( DRC ).

  

Coagulating & Milling 

Latex is a suspension of isoprene, microscopic natural rubber particles in an aqueous medium.  These particles scatter light, making the latex solution appear white and homogeneous like milk.  The surfaces of the latex particles are charged, which creates forces of repulsion between them that keep them from coagulating. In the coagulation process formic acid neutralizes these charges, thereby eliminating the forces of repulsion between the particles. 

The coagulated latex block are then pressed to remove water by passage through rollers.  The last pairs of rollers are grooved and thus produce ribbed sheets.  The ribs increase the surface area and facilitates drying. 

The serum left after latex coagulation is rich in quebrachitol (QCT), and various water-soluble materials such as sugars, lipids, proteins and minerals, which can cause water pollution if the serum is directly discharged into the environment.  

Washing & Drying 

The freshly sheeted rubber are then soaked in running water for a short time after milling to wash off the residual non-rubbers and, to prevent discoloration and mold growth. 

Sheets were hung up to drip off the remaining water for 4 to 6 hours preferably in the shade to drain off the surface moisture and thereby reduce the smoking period. 

 

Smoking 

Dripped sheets which contain about 20% moisture are dried in a smoke house.   Smoking enables the sheets to absorb creosotic and other antiseptic substances which provide a preservative effect and anti-oxidant effect on to the rubber.  Temperature of the smoke house maintained at range between 48-54 °C. 

Generally, smoking could be completed within 4-5 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buah Nadir di Malaysia

 

Acacia sensu lato in East & Southeast Asia

 

Bauhinia x blakeana

Bauhinia blakeana, commonly called the Hong Kong orchid tree, is a hybrid leguminous tree of the genus Bauhinia. 

 

ORIGIN

 Bauhinia blakeana was first discovered by a French missionary in the 1880s, growing in the grounds of an abandoned house close to the shore near Pok Fu Lam (薄扶林), Hong Kong Island.  

The missionary collector subsequently propagated it in the grounds of the nearby Pok Fu Lam Sanatorium run by the Missions E´trange`res de Paris, and from there it was introduced to the Hong Kong Botanic Gardens and the grounds of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Canton (now Guangzhou).

Stephen Troyte Dunn, Superintendent of the Botanical and Forestry Department, subsequently formally named it B. blakeana in honor of Sir Henry Blake, Governor of Hong Kong between 1898 and 1903.

By 1903, the tree in the Botanic Gardens was reported to be flowering profusely and persistently. The tree survived being blown over by a typhoon in 1906 and was subsequently used to propagate new trees vegetatively over the years.

From 1914, B. blakeana was extensively planted as an ornamental in various regions of Hong Kong.

 

 NOMENCLATURE

The genus name Bauhinia was named after Bauhin brothers Gaspard and Johann. Swiss-French botanists.   The specific name blakeana was named after Sir Henry Blake, Governor of Hong Kong between 1898 and 1903.

Since Bauhinia blakeana is a hybrid, according to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants ( ICNafp ), it should be named Bauhinia x blakeana.

 

 BOTANY

Bauhinia blakeana is a leguminous tree capable to grow up to 40 feet in height.  It has a rounded, spreading canopy.  Prunning during the initial years is needed to develop a more uniform  crown. 

The flower is large, purplish and orchid-like.   Flowers are sterile and thus it will not become pest in the landscape.  Propagation is by grafting, cutting and air-layering.

The leaves are alternate, simple and lobed ( distint shape of a camel’s hoof ). 

 EMBLEM of HONG KONG

Bauhinia x blakaena was selected as the floral emblem of Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong in 1997.    The design features in HK’s emblem and flag.

As early as 1993, Bauhinia x blakeana was use in the new HK coins, to replace the portrait of QE2.

It was also used as emblem for HK’s Urban Council ( 1883-1936 ).