Borneo Express

Tropical Pitcher Plants (Nepenthes)

Nepenthes are herbaceous non-woody tropics plants which generally grow as long twining vines with pitchers. The pitchers are actually highly specialized leaves that act as passive pitfall traps (for little insects). Pitcher Plant are also known as Monkey Cup and can also be use for cooking glutinous rice. See Pitcher Plant blog posting. Pitcher Plants Destinations   Pitcher Plant & Wild Orchid Garden, Sarawak The garden is located at Kota Padawan town which is about 10 miles from Kuching. Nominal fee will be levied per entry. The garden closed on Monday.   Bako National Park, Sarawak Bako National Park is about 45 minutes drive from Kuching. You need to take another 30 minutes boat ride from the Bako village jetty to the park. Thereon, you need to trek to an area called Telok Keruin to appreciate the natural habitat of pitcher plants..   Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak Beside caving activites, Mulu National Park is known to have 10 types of pitcher plants and other flora and fauna. The park is about 30 minutes air trip from Miri. Alternatively, you may take a ten hour river trip from Miri to Mulu. Due to the distance, overnight stay at the park (resthouse and resort) is required.   Lampir Hill National Park, Sarawak The Lampir Hill National Park is located about 30km south of Miri Town. Short day trips to the park are possible.   Mount Murut, Sarawak From Lawas ....   Kinabalu National Park, Sabah The mountain variety of pitcher plant can be found in Kinabalu National Park. See the largest pitcher plant (Nepenthes Rajah) at Mesilau Nature Conservation Centre (about 2 hours return hike from the Kinabalu National Park HQ).   Maliau Basin Conservation Area, Sabah The insurmountable Maliau Basin, Maliau Basin Studies Center, Maliau Falls and Lake Linumunsut are sites in the Maliau Basin Conservation Area. About 9 species of pitcher plant can be found at the Maliau conservation area. These include Nepenthes cf. mirabiles, N. gracilis, N. hirsuta, N. lowii, N. reinwardtiana, N. stenophylla, N. tentaculata, N. veitchii and N. veitchii X N. stenophylla. Maliau Basin entrance is situated about 40 km east of Pensiangan in southern Sabah. It is now easily accessible from Tawau and Keningau. It is about 190 km from Tawau. From Keningau, it takes about 4 hours. The best mode of transport is by 4WD. Four-wheel drive is essential as the latter part of the journey is on logging roads. Conservation Organizations in Borneo that is responsible for the survival of pitcher plant.   Malaysian Nature Society   World Wildlife Fund (Malaysia chapter) See Flickr: Pitcher Plants Pictures Gallery #1   |   Pitcher Plants Pictures Gallery #2   |   Pitcher Plants Species   |   Nepenthes

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