Exploring @ a limestone outcrop near Serian

[kuching]

April 19, 2009. In this trip, I found a few interesting plants in a limestone outcrop where I never been there before. Will post more pictures tomorrow....


Here are some shots taken just now:

pix 1





pix 2: Most of the limestone hills here got vertical cliff......not easy to explore in this area.






Pix 3: Limestone outcrop






Pix 4: My climbing buddy.





Pix 5

[kuching]

Pix 6





Pix 7





Pix 8: At first, I thought got dead animal in the jungle....then I was shocked to find the big inflorescence of an Arum!!! Most probably is Amorphophallus eberneus ?? The smell is very bad, like the rotting fish / shrimp!






Pix 9: Another great discovery! First time ever in my life found this aquatic plant in the hard water area.....just outside a subterranean stream of limestone outcrop, Cryptocoryne striolata!!! This one is the green form.....never seen a green form before. Probably a new record!??






Pix 10: And, I almost "fainted" when I found the flower bud of the largest flower on earth....Rafflesia!!! I think this one should be Rafflesia tuan-mudae. First time found this in Serian area.

[kuching]

Pix 11: Hairy cup fungi





Pix 12: Katydid






..... to be continued.

[skyluck2001]

Very interesting pics. The first pic would make a nice aquascape. Thanks for sharing. Waiting for part 2.

[blue33]

Maybe next time can take a panoramic view would be even better, the landscape. Thanks for sharing.

[kuching]

Thanks skyluck & blue....

[kuching]

Pix 13: The most exciting thing in this trip is I found this green form of Cryptocoryne striolata (water plant). I am really surprised it can grow well in the hard water area (limestone). The water is coming out from a small subterranean stream.





Pix 14: Habitat






Pix 15





Pix 16: The spathe





Pix 17

[kuching]

Pix 18: Crypt striolata usually found in clearwater streams (mostly soft water) of Borneo.





Pix 19: Alocasia reversa





Pix 20: The beautiful inflorescence of Arum. The bad smell attracts a lot of insects to visit the inflorescence, especially the fly & the moth.





Pix 21: The moth inside the inflorescence of Arum.





Pix 22





Pix 23: Close-up of the spadix

[kuching]

Pix 24: The flower of Begonia speluncae




Pix 25: Begonia speluncae






Pix 26: Begonia sp. - species A





Pix 27: Begonia sp. - species B





Pix 28: Begonia sp. - species C

[kuching]

Pix 29: Hairy cup fungi




Pix 30





Pix 31: Mushrooms





Pix 32: Dendrabium orchid on the fallen tree.





Pix 33: The rotten Rafflesia. Now I no need to pay RM10 to look for this Rafflesia in Gunung Gading NP....since I can come here anytime to check up for the flower.





pix 32

[kuching]

Pix 33: flat worm





Pix 34: Caterpillar





Pix 35: snail.






Pix 36: The empty shells of a species of freshwater snail. I have no idea how come got so many empty shells at the cave entrance...


.



pix 37

[kuching]

Pix 38: Tufted jungle king butterfly ( Thauria sp.)





Pix 39: Yellow Katydid





Pix 40

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Pix 41

[benetay]

I love that butterfly picture & congrats on the find of the Rafflesia~

Cheers!

[Aria]

Great pictures what a feast for the eyes. Thanks for sharing Michael

Re pix 36 & 37 looks like the tips of the snails are chipped off. Perhaps someone just had a feast?

[kuching]

Thanks Benetay & Aria....

[bossteck]

Really liked the first 2 photo, very postcard-liked, and can imagine how excited you must have been in finding the C. Striolata there.

Like the picture of the flatworm as well, thanks for sharing the photos with us.

[kuching]

Really liked the first 2 photo, very postcard-liked, and can imagine how excited you must have been in finding the C. Striolata there.

Like the picture of the flatworm as well, thanks for sharing the photos with us.

thanks bossteck....

[AngelAddick]

Michael Lo, you are a legend! They wasted a Datukship on Shah Rukh Khan, should consider giving one to you!

[kuching]

Michael Lo, you are a legend! They wasted a Datukship on Shah Rukh Khan, should consider giving one to you!

Ha!ha! No lah...Datuk sounds like "old man" for me. I'm not "old" to get this title....