# Journey to northern Peninsular Malaysia



## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Aug. 10 2007, I took a direct flight from my hometown to Penang island in the north western part of Peninsular Malaysia.

In this trip, I found:

(1) One of the rarest _Crypt_. in Peninsular M'sia - _Crypt. elliptica_

(2) I found slipper orchid, _Paphiopedilum barbatum _ & a wild orchid eden in a secret location at Kedah

(3) a big population of red coloured _Nepenthes albomarginata _ (pitcher plant)

And many more.....

note: I took almost 300 photos in this trip, so I may take a week to upload some of the images to the forum or my website. It was another wonderful trip in 2007!!!

Penang bridge, the longest bridge in Southeast Asia!!! (13.5 km long)










Jungle Mike in the jungle of northern Peninsular Malaysia:










_Crypt. elliptica_ - this is the only species of aquatic aroid which can propagate from the leaf & it is a rare species!!! I think I'm too lucky to find it.










_Nepenthes albomarginata_ is very common in the hills & mountain of Penang & Kedah:










My "jaw dropped" when I saw this slipper orchid, _Paphiopedilum barbatum _ !!!










To be continued.....

***Note: since this forum is a aquatic plant forum, I'll only post the picture of the aqutic plant in the next post. will take a few days to upload the photo.

Thanks to everyone for viewing.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Looking forward to your follow-ups.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Hey you were here and did'nt look me up? lol just kidding.. just interested to get some of the shrimps from sarawak from you...(Im in penang anyways) great pic of the bridge


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Chuppy said:


> Hey you were here and did'nt look me up? lol just kidding.. just interested to get some of the shrimps from kedah from you...(Im in penang anyways) great pic of the bridge


I didn't know that your are from Penang....


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## elaphe (Aug 24, 2006)

Very beautiful.

I would love to have such a beautiful "backyard".

Brian


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

junglemike said:


> I didn't know that your are from Penang....


Heck did'nt tell you about it anyways... Hope to hear from you soon bout fish/shrimps/plants from borneo..(no not them borneo suckers too much of them)... I hear loads from my friends in sarawak about you and specimens of borneo.. some even wanted to give me your contact but none of them never really sent me any specimens.. so here i am talking to mike himself... lol.. and btw.. so tht u know im only a teenager crazy enough to spend loads of time/money on aquarium .. willing to get rare specimens mayB even asking you to ship some over to my LFs.. (theyre interested in some specimens where they would buy by the 100s.. >only found in borneo items<)
Pm/ Reply me soon...

Chuppy(Drew)


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

elaphe said:


> Very beautiful.
> 
> I would love to have such a beautiful "backyard".
> 
> Brian


Yeah? Migrate over to malaysia and you get more than you want.. honestly!


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## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

Nice trip! Can't wait to see more pics!! My friends over at OrchidBoard will love the photo of the _Paphiopedilum barbatum_


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

August 10, 2007. I stayed a night at a budget hotel in Penang. I was travelling alone. My initial plan was to photograph the red coloured Nepenthes ampullaria (pitcher plant) at the summit of Penang hill. However, when I reached the foothill of Penang hill on the following day, I saw so many tourists buying tickets at the cable car station. I changed my mind to explore this hill as I don't like to go tourist destination. I prefer to explore places where there are not many people hanging around.

Beautiful night scenary of Penang:










I drove for few hours from Penang to Kedah state in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia. About 10am, I saw a beautiful mountain near a small town. I decided to climb that mountain. When I drove pass a bridge, I saw a lot of water plants on the drain. I went down to check it out & saw _Egeria densa _ and a species of _Blyxa_ growing abundantly there:










_Egeria densa _ and a species of _Blyxa_










I almost fell into the drain when I spotted this aquatic plant which I never seen before....._Ottelia alismoides _ !!!! WOOOWWW!!!


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

According to my reference book, this _Ottelia alismoides _ is common in Penang & Kedah but uncommon in southern Peninsular Malaysia. And, I never found it in Borneo.










The beautiful leaves of _Ottelia alismoides _.










I heard that this species is not easy to cultivate in the aquarium.










I also spotted Panchax ,_Aplocheilus panchax_ in the drain. It is very common in Peninsular Malaysia but I never seen it in Borneo.










_Aplocheilus panchax_ (male)


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## stepheus (Jun 13, 2006)

What the. I thought we'd nvr find anything like that at our place! nice pics, certainly an eye opener since I ve not seen those albeit living in Malaysia all my life, at the capital city at least. I would certainly try Ottelia alismoides. Looks like an awesome plant.


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## zQ. (Dec 15, 2006)

>


I've found this in my country too ! And its living in a rice field  I've try to keep it in my aquarium but with low light and high flow rate it been stunted to some thing like this :








And this is it original form from the rice field.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

stepheus said:


> What the. I thought we'd nvr find anything like that at our place! nice pics, certainly an eye opener since I ve not seen those albeit living in Malaysia all my life, at the capital city at least. I would certainly try Ottelia alismoides. Looks like an awesome plant.


That was my first reaction there stepheus... we can find nice specimens in our place.. places that are untouched by huge development.. places like pahang.. kedah.. especially sabah and sarawak... you can't really find a lot of things here in penang.. too much development... no proper stream/river.. i think it is the same in KL..


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

Unfortunately _Ottelia alismoides_ is an invasive species in the US, it is on the list of noxious weeds as it seems to like to take over rice paddies in Louisiana. You guys get to try it out, we have to sit back and spectate some more. _C. striolata_ on the other hand....


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks to everyone for viewing my pictures.

Yes,_Ottelia alismoides _will looks like Blyxa (long & slender leaf)when you planted it in your tank.....I don't why, but anyone can explain that?

I still got photos of _Crypt elliptica _to post....need sometimes to upload.


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## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

SCMurphy said:


> Unfortunately _Ottelia alismoides_ is an invasive species in the US, it is on the list of noxious weeds as it seems to like to take over rice paddies in Louisiana. You guys get to try it out, we have to sit back and spectate some more. _C. striolata_ on the other hand....


I'm sure if it is an invasive here in the US, then it would be allowed to go collecting


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

When I walked up to 1,500 feet, I saw a jungle trail and then I hiked along the trail & I found a small stream. I saw 2 species of _Utricularia _ (a type of carnivorous plant) growing in the water or near the stream.

The jungle trail. (note: there is a _N. albomarginata _ on the foreground):










_Utricularia involvens _










Close-up of the flower of _Utricularia involvens _ :










_Utricularia minutissima _


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

August 12, 2007. I decided to go to explore southern Kedah and northern Perak to find a rare species of _Cryptocoryne_ - _Crypt. elliptica_. This was a mission impossible because nobody really knows where to find it except the old location which has already been destroyed caused by development. Some people still found _Crypt_. in the old location at Perak, but all those _Crypt_. are the common _Crypt. minima_.

The jungle of southern Kedah:










There are a lot of rivers in southern Kedah but I couldn't find any Crypt.










Another river:










A jungle stream:


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Caught _Devario regina._.










_Betta pugnax_:










_Betta pugnax_:


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

After 2 hours of exploring in the jungle of Kedah, I was almost exhausted and it rained suddenly at noon. The rain stopped half an hour later. I decided to go back to the starting point. When I reached the spot where I parked my car, I saw a muddy stream not far away from the big river. I quickly ran to the stream and found something growing in the water......but when I get closer, I found out it was the common _Barclaya motleyi_. I was very disappointed but I decided to try my luck in another location near the border of Kedah & Perak.

_Barclaya motleyi_.










To be continued....


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Are you collecting any of this or just taking pictures?


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

mistergreen said:


> Are you collecting any of this or just taking pictures?


mostly taking pictures because I need to go through the custom when I go to catch my flight back to Borneo.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

I drove along the country road in Kedah and found out that there was no sight of _Cryptocoryne_ in most of the rivers. At 2pm, I decided to turn back, and I saw a small river running through a patch of disturbed forest near the roadside. I went down and found out there is nothing in the river. I walked along the river for 20 minutes and found a smaller feeder stream. I checked out that stream and found a lot of _Betta pugnax_ (wild fighting fish) but still there was no sight of aquatic aroid. I walked out from the stream and on a higher ground, I saw a muddy pond about 10 meters away from me. I went to that pond and I was stunned of what I found......a clump of _Cryptocoryne_ growing half submerged on the leaf litter of the pond.

I was so excited but I didn't realised that I was standing on the ant's nest! Within a minute, hundreds of ant crawling all over my legs and bit me! The leeches also joined the party!!! Oh Dxxx!!! I screamed so loud like wild beast and ran so fast to that small river to get rid of those insects.

10 minutes, I felt much better and found another way to reach that pond. At first I thought it was the common Crypt. minima but after I found the spathe (flower), I told myself that I must be dreaming......because the plant is the rarest aquatic aroid from Peninsular Malaysia...._Cryptocoryne elliptica_!!!!

I never really expected to find it and.....I was so excited until I didn't mind the leeches crawling into my legs to suck my blood. Hurray!!! I found it, at last!

The muddy pond:










A clump of _Cryptocoryne elliptica_!!!! The population is very small, less than 50 plants were found on the site.










This species is very special because it can grow from the leaf. The picture below is showing a young plant is growing out from an old leaf.










The spathe (flower) of _Cryptocoryne elliptica_!!!!


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

The leaf (upper) of _Crypt. elliptica_.










The leaf (under):










The spathe:










After took some leaves and kept it in a plastic bag for propagation, I drove back to Penang to catch my return flight back to Borneo. Pix below is the Penang bridge:










The scenery on Penang bridge:










My journey is never ending one & hope I can travel as many places as possible to see the beautiful flora & fauna of Southeast Asia, especially my beloved BORNEO.

THE END.


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## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

Congrats!! Glad you were able to find the _C. elliptica _!


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

I enjoyed your travelog. Thanks for sharing! So are you saying that C. elliptica can propagate like a java fern?


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## Stephan K. (Apr 30, 2006)

C. elliptica can propagate from a leave.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks for viewing. Yup, C. elliptica can propagate by leaf.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

more; here:

http://www.ibanorum.netfirms.com/kedah.htm


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## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

Thank you for the link. I have posted it on an orchid forum for the orchid enthusiasts to enjoy.


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

Hello Mike,

Thanks for your great report & pics!



> August 12, 2007. I decided to go to explore southern Kedah and northern Perak to find a rare species of _Cryptocoryne_ - _Crypt. elliptica_. This was a mission impossible because nobody really knows where to find it except the old location which has already been destroyed caused by development. Some people still found _Crypt_. in the old location at Perak, but all those _Crypt_. are the common _Crypt. minima_.


It's extinct at the type locality but other localities are known (and published )...

It's great that you seem to have found another locality! The ecological niche fits nicely with Niels' and Josef's observations.

Do you remember seeing inflorescences with heavily bent limbs? I see only upright limbs in your pics while the strain I'm growing seems to usually twist the limb soon after opening. I'd love to compare these populations under identical growing conditions...


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

Hello Mike,



> I heard that this species is not easy to cultivate in the aquarium.


Ottelia alismoides needs decent light but other than that it can be pretty easy. However, it hates being transplanted/shipped and that seems to be the main reason why it's not sold in LFSs. It does grow well from seed (and fast, too!) though.

BTW, thanks for the other pics - I also like Utricularia, Nepenthes, orchids, etc. as well as all those swimming critters!


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

Hello Bert,



> So are you saying that C. elliptica can propagate like a java fern?


Yes, as the others already confirmed.

However, you can't just hack any leaf into pieces and expect many bab crypts (like in Microsorum, Begonia, African violets, etc.)!

This crypt has a single growing point at the base of each leaf and you have to remove the whole leaf carefully (actually the leaves break off pretty easily since this is the only way of vegetative propagation for this crypt species). In younger leaves, the dormant growing point can be seen as a little white speck within the plant tissue while older leaves will show developing plantlets or fully grown daughter plants as shown on Mike's pic.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Kai Witte said:


> Hello Mike,
> 
> Thanks for your great report & pics!
> 
> ...


Thanks Kai. No, the spathe is an upright limb.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Something about Borneo:

An interesting programme from Al Jazeera.net about the tribes in Borneo....and also the deforestation. Please watch the documentary by clicking on the image (Youtube):

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6D57D12B-A65A-4E9D-AAEC-525CEB26BE49.htm


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