The Batek people at Sungai Bauk village conducts a walk which is termed "Nomad Trail" by Ecoteer Malaysia. One of the route of the walk is started from the village to the water fall in side of the forest. To reach the water fall needs about 2-3 hours of walking. The village is directly adjacent with oil palm plantation which we passed it using 4WD vehicle. While on the pick-up, I started to recall the smell of forest where the leaves and the soil humus are the main contribution of the fragrant. Soon, I found that It was a day dream. Almost at immediate moment, we was served by horrible scenery of forest destruction by the on going slash and burn activities for the next phase of palm oil plantation potentially.


Fallen forest from a small river cross. The green area at rear is the establish corridor to hide the slash and burn activities.


A view of fallen forest.

The remain forest is a secondary one which the last logging was conducted about 20 year ago. Due to this circumstance, the forest ambient can only be experienced after a while of walking. Nonetheless, there some common cover crops and shrubs within the open or semi open parts of the forest.


Dicranopteris linearis(Burm.f.) Underw. is the most common fern that grows on disturb land.


Asystacia gangentica (L.) T. Anderson which is called akar ruas-ruas.


Stachytarpheta indica (L.) Vahl which is called pecut kuda.


Clidemia hirta (L.) D.Don which is locally called harendong bulu.


Fruits of Clidemia hirta. The scientific name was derived from the black color of fruit when matured. The ripe fruit is edible.


Commelina diffusa Burm.f. which is locally called aur-aur.


Hyptis capitata Jacq. where in Indonesia is called gringsingan.


Flower of Melastoma malabatricum L. The plant is called senduduk in Malay and karamunting or haramunting in some parts of Indonesia. I usually use the leaves to neutralize the bitter taste of papaya flowers by boiling them together. After discharging the senduduk leaves, the papaya flower can be cooked or prepared as desired dish such as kerabu, tumis, or taucho.


Fruits of Melastoma malabatricum in different stages of maturity. The ripe one is edible.

After about two hours walking, we entered into the forest ambient. Here, the vegetation starts to be different.


Fruit and leaves of Alpina mutica Roxb.


A Zingiberaceae plant that needs to be identified. Koon Hup the member flora group of Malaysian Nature Society identified this ginger plant as Etlingera punicea (Roxb.) R.M.Sm.


A better look of Etlingera punicea flower.


Tacca integrifolia Ker Gawl. Notify the two flower buds at the center.


Labisia pumila Benth. & Hook.f. which is locally called kacip fatimah. The entire plant is used as herbal remedy related to the health of reproductive organs of woman.


Amischotolype gracilis(Ridl.)I.M.Turner.

We did some stops during the walk. I am not sure what the distance between the village and the water fall. In addition, the path is soon elevated when we enter the forest.


The sixth stop which is the last one.


The path was taken from the rest site.


A mother tree which once probably was not big enough to be logged. I could not identify the species. Based on the presence of old seeds and the pedicels, the tree is probably Lithocarpus sp. At rear, the high density of trees which are less than 15 cm diameter suggests that the forest has been well recovered.


Pedicel of Lithocarpus. According to the presence of pedicel, the Lithocarpus trees experienced a heavy fruiting during the last season. However, most of the fruits were eaten and the left over ones are not in good condition for germination. The presence of Lithocarpus often signify that the forest already as mountain forest category.


A carpet of two stage leaves of germinated Shorea. It appears to me that these germinated Shore already passed the damping off moment.


A bigger Shorea sapling (center) from the last fruiting season.

After about three hours of walking, we reached the intended river where along its side harbors the riparian vegetation for example Saraca thaipingensis Cantley ex Prain. Indeed, we came at the right moment of the flower season. The big bunches of their bright yellow flowers were truly the center of attraction.


A big bunch of flowers of Saraca thaipingensis.


Flower bunches of Saraca thaipingensis at the trunk base. Some flowers already dropped on the floor.


A flower bunch of Saraca thaipingensis at the same spot of the previous flower season, identified by the present of seed pot from previous flower season.


Ptychosperma simplicifrons Miq. at the river bank.


A Melastomaceae species grows on rock.


Didymocarpus platypus C.B.Clarke.


Molinera latifolia (Dryand. ex W.T.Aiton) Herb. ex Kurz - lemba which is commonly found a long river bank. The ripe fruit is edible. The taste is greatly sweet and can stay up to one hour on the tongue. The ripe fruit is traditionally used to treat diabetes.


Flower of Molinera latifolia - lemba. Its bright yellow color easily attracts the sight.


Pseuderanthemum crenulatum (Wall. ex Lindl.)Radlk.

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Selaginella anceps (C.Presl) C.Presl.


According to the leaves characters, the plant can be Nephelium costatum Hiern of Sapindaceae - the rambutan family. This small tree is fruiting. See the fruits below.


Although the color is black, the fruits look so delicious. They attracted my sight and my appetite.


I could not reach this plant as it grows on a vertical rock of the river bank. Based on the leaves shape and its tiny stem, the plant can be Porterandia anisiphylla.

Dr. Khatijah, I believe the ginger is Etlingera punicea.

regards,
koon hup

Dear Koon Hup,

Thanks for the identification. I wish some other corrections will come for the next time.