N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

Sunday 5.30am,we started our journey early so that we have ample time and return before night fall. The route was no easy as there were various obstacle-fallen trees, huge sandstone boulders to negotiate, etc.
Ascending to the peak, as in previous trip, we made use of the existing route carved out by the illegal bird nest collectors. There are about 3 series of cascading sandstone walls and inorder to move up they have made small notch cuttings on tree roots. The exposed roots also aenable ones to grab and move up.
"V" shape cuts on tree roots as ladder.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3320.jpg
exposed tree roots used for our climb to ascend/descend
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3315.jpg
panoramic view from the peak
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z.../panorama2.jpg
The mountain where N.veitchii grows, refering to one of the maps, was probably around 400 meter-500 meter. The mountain peak was made up of sandstone.
one of the huge sandstone peak
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z.../panorama4.jpg
Dwelling place of the bird's nests collectors, made from plastic canvas as wall partition. It was about 6 meters to the edge where the fall down was 200-300ft.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3340.jpg
temporary table and chair made from woody branches.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3098.jpg
The mossy forest.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3111.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3099.jpg
The N.veitchii are epiphyic and grow like orchids on tree branches relying on the night low clouds and rain. The air was also cool and moist during the day.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3359.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3378.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3368.jpg
An interesting fact the N.hirsuta are tiny like gracilis. The leaves are smaller and bear no resemblance of gracilis.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3386.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3385.jpg
N.albormarginata - found one grown and hanging on exposed mossy sandstone outcrop, struggling to grow among creepers and ferns.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3420.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_3419.jpg

Thank you for viewing

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

Robert, you guys are killing us with these gorgeous outing documentations! Jealousy flares it's ugly head! Those veitchii are wonderful, what great peristome coloration! That appears to be a Hoya or Dischidia twining through the N.veitchii with a small (Hoya-like) pendicle at 12 o'clock in the third portrait in the tree (with hand). Did you see any flowers (on Hoya)? Thanks for posting these, it's inspiring me to start planning a trip! Also, do you have any knowledge about the ferns in the last two pictures?
Shawn

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

Wow Robert, fantastic pictures, I hope I was there!!!
The N.veitchii's lips are so sexy!!! red lip N.veitchii !!!
Thanks so much for sharing the pictures, really enjoyed so much.

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

Hi Shawn, those are hoya but doesn't bear any flowers yet. The ferns are very common but non edible. I have no idea of their name.

Thanks TS. I agreed those veitchii are stunning. we spent about 4 hrs on the mt, wish we have more time to explore for veitchii's variation.

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

That veitchii pitcher is really beautiful Robert! Thanks for the pictures. How nice if there were more pictures to droll over. But like you said, lack of time to explore more. They are actually growing on tree branches huh? Even the red picther plant is growing on tree roots.

Does this mean they need very airy media in cultivation?

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

Hi David, from my observation in the wild i would say intermediate and highland species/hybrids need very airy and loose media.

In our lowland conds. we need to provide cool,moist environment, and loose media. Over time the compacted media should be loosen. I think most of us were already doing thess without realising the importance.

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

I am a newbie. This is my first post. :2thumbup:
Robert,

your veitchii and photo clarity blows my mind away. I want the Hoya!

fellowship quality photos, I'll use a local dialect "don't play play".

Cheers.

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

:2thumbup:it all begin with proper exposure and everyone will attained beautiful subject or scenes once the techniques were achieved. My photos can be crappy at times:tongue:.

The hoya,any idea of the name?

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

You're too modest! The effort involved in getting to such a location is a credit to the photographer as well as the great shots!

Hard to tell from the photos (But come on, this is a secondary subject of the photo!) but likely H. lacunosa. If so, it gets tiny white flowers with pale yellow centers and has great smell. The leaves tend to get an alligator skin crinkle to them as it gets a bit older. (I've tried, for the first time, attaching 2 photos of H. lacunosa directly from my computer. This was a 3" cutting I collected in a Thailand rain forest last year. It now has two stems with an 8 foot spread and flowers regularly!

Shawn

Re: N.veitchii habitat revisited
 

shawn and Isaac, thanks for the compliment .
well, i started off photography with culture documentary and in Sarawak or Borneo as a whole where the natives live nature and landscape are 2 inseparable subjects. I was later drawn more to nature photography though i still focus on culture

Thanks Shawn for the attached image.