# The unexpected discovery!!!



## junglemike

Almost near the end of July, I went to Seri Aman - Betong area to explore. In this trip, I was supposed to look for plants growing on the ground , not in the water as the water level of most of the rivers were high due to the changing climate: more rainfall in the dry season than ever. However, I was almost got "heart attack" when I found the most beautiful _Cryptocoryne auriculata _ that I ever seen! It is a variety of _Crypt auriculata _ growing on the tree roots at the sandbank.

The hidden paradise in Borneo:










The most excited discovery: A mottled leaf _Crypt auriculata_!!!










It is growing on the tree roots near the water edge:










First location: an oil palm plantation at Seri Aman of Sarawak. Found a big colony of _Crypt longicauda_, _Barclaya motleyi _ & others semi aquatic plants.










......TO BE CONTINUED.


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## AaronT

Thanks for sharing your pictures. I always look forward to your photographs.


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## FarCanal

Wow! That mottled leaf is stunning! That is a great find ... top work


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## junglemike

Thanks. I will post more pictures tomorrow...


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## MiamiAG

Hi Mike,

Congrats on your find. Where you able to bring a specimen home?

My understanding is the C. auriculata is not cultivated much because of it's difficulty. It's always amazing to me how mother nature seems to have no problems growing it though.

Did you take any water samples? Soil samples, perhaps?


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## mats808

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the great pictures.

When you say that they are growing on the tree roots does that mean that they are rooted in and around the roots or are they actually growing on the roots like how a java fern might grow?

aaron


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## junglemike

mats808 said:


> Hi Mike,
> Thanks for the great pictures.
> 
> When you say that they are growing on the tree roots does that mean that they are rooted in and around the roots or are they actually growing on the roots like how a java fern might grow?
> 
> aaron


They are rooted in ....


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## junglemike

Art_Giacosa said:


> Hi Mike,
> 
> Congrats on your find. Where you able to bring a specimen home?
> 
> My understanding is the C. auriculata is not cultivated much because of it's difficulty. It's always amazing to me how mother nature seems to have no problems growing it though.
> 
> Did you take any water samples? Soil samples, perhaps?


No water sample. The substrate is river sand mixed with clay.


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## junglemike

The spathe (flower) of Crypt longicauda in the blackwater stream of oil palm plantation:










Close-up:










Next location is a clearwater stream in a swamp. Also found _Crypt longicauda_. It is one of the most common species in Borneo:










Around 3pm, it sarted to rain until the next day morning. So, no exploration except go to check in into a hotel at Seri Aman & rest.

Next day, I woke up early & went to the jungle in between Seri Aman & Betong:










There are a lot of beautiful rivers here:










Wood shrimp:


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## junglemike

Unidentified species of Goby:










Hill stream catfish; _Glypothorax major _ :




























When I was walking along the river, I saw some plants growing under the Pandan plants....when I look closer, I almost wanted to "faint"!!! Oh my goodness.....first time in my life saw such a beautiful species of _Crypt auriculata_. The leaf pattern looks a bit like my favourite slipper orchid:


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## junglemike

Most of the _Crypt_ grow near the riverbank, under the big tree:










This one is going to flower soon:










Borneo island has a lot of beautiful rivers:


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## junglemike

Some plants growing near the river:

A terrestrial orchid, _Acanthephippium_ sp.










Flower of _Acanthephippium_ sp.



















_Begonia_ sp.


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## junglemike

One of the _Crypt auriculata _ which I brought home is flowering yesterday:





































THE END.


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## Seattle_Aquarist

As always, very nice pictures Junglemike. I especially like seeing the plants in their natural habitat, it gives me an idea of the lighting and substrate I need to use. It looks like these were growing in a very sandy area.....is that right?


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## jazzlvr123

beautiful pics. thanks for sharing


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## junglemike

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> As always, very nice pictures Junglemike. I especially like seeing the plants in their natural habitat, it gives me an idea of the lighting and substrate I need to use. It looks like these were growing in a very sandy area.....is that right?


Yes, you are right. River sand + clay.


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## zer0zax

Awesome pictures Mike! Thanks so much for sharing!


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## aquanut

awesome pictures and a great story!


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## Yoong

Mike
Beautiful auriculata and nice pictures. You grow you your crypts in sand and clay too?

Yoong?


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## Tex Gal

Amazing! How fortunate you are to be able to go to these places!


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## junglemike

Yoong said:


> Mike
> Beautiful auriculata and nice pictures. You grow you your crypts in sand and clay too?
> 
> Yoong?


90% sand mixed with 5% clay + 5% peat soil/leaf litter for this hill stream Crypt.


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## Yoong

junglemike said:


> 90% sand mixed with 5% clay + 5% peat soil/leaf litter for this hill stream Crypt.


MIke,
Thanks for sharing. Look forward to see you next post.

Yoong


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## junglemike

Thanks all for the comments. Still got a few more pictures to share....maybe I'll post it next week.


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## clifford

That's fantastic...when you have time, keep the pictures coming. One of these days I'll have to actually go outside and see some of the plants I've been keeping for so long in their native habitats... 

Cliff


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## junglemike

Oops, I forgot I still got some pictures which I forgot to share with everyone.

On the last day before going home to Kuching, I went to the peat swamp forest of Seri Aman to search for _Crypt. pallidinervia_. Unfortunately, I failed to find it in the very disturbed peat swamp. Most of the big trees in the swamp are already gone because of logging activity since long time ago. The natural habitat has been destroyed!

A (farmer's) storage hut at the peat swamp of Seri Aman.










Found a clump of _Crypt ciliata _ at the brackish water stream:










About 1 hour of driving distance from Seri Aman, I went to check a freshwater swamp:










Found thousands of _Crypt longicauda _ growing in the flooded swamp:



















2 hours later, I went off road to revisit the habitat of _Crypt striolata _ & I was shocked to find out that the jungle has been gone since 3 or 4 years ago & now it became an oil palm estate. _Crypt striolata _ can not adapt to the changes of environment (direct sunlight) and the whole colony wiped out!!!










More destruction of habitat is expected to be happened in the near future......


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## Bert H

Great story and pics!



> More destruction of habitat is expected to be happened in the near future......


What a shame.


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## rs79

Great pics Michael. I just wish it wasn't more bad news.
:-(


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## junglemike

rs79 said:


> Great pics Michael. I just wish it wasn't more bad news.
> :-(


Thanks for viewing.

More humans = more development = more destruction of natural hanitat.


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## Kai Witte

Hello Mike,



> No water sample.


I'd respectfully suggest that you invest in getting a little equipment for taking measurements! Temperature, conductivity, and pH are IMHO a good start and don't take much time.

Critters and plants may often not require exactly the same conditions as in nature to survive, thrive, and even reproduce/propagate. However, with a little bit of data you can already learn a lot about the habitat, the soil and underlying geology, etc.!


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## junglemike

Kai Witte said:


> Hello Mike,
> 
> I'd respectfully suggest that you invest in getting a little equipment for taking measurements! Temperature, conductivity, and pH are IMHO a good start and don't take much time.
> 
> Critters and plants may often not require exactly the same conditions as in nature to survive, thrive, and even reproduce/propagate. However, with a little bit of data you can already learn a lot about the habitat, the soil and underlying geology, etc.!


Very hard to get this equipment in my hometown.


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## Analog Kid

Mike, your pictures never cease to amaze! Keep up the good work and documentation on your blog.


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## Khamul1of9

Fantastic pictures! You make me want to go visit!!!! Loved the orchid and the Aroids.


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## PLANT^NUT

Thanks for all the wonderful pics.


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