exploring a limestone hill

[Robert]

There are many lmestone hills that were worth exploring. Not knowing what we would be expecting to find and but treat it as an adventure to sweat and take photos. we have chosen one that look accessible but end up having to walk hours through thick bushes and streams. with the help of our parangs (machete) we managed to cut through.

The land around part of the hill was a zone of heath forest, the floor neatly laid with mosses by nature and filled with gracilis and ampullaria.





From our direction viewing the limestone cliff there was no mistake there are some huge plants of northianas.



many northianas grown on the cliff surface however with the trees blocking the view photographing was only possible near the cave entrance.






zooming in on one of the small northiana


some bigger ones. The middle one was a female with the dried flowers from the previous.


visible water drops replenishing the dry limestone surfaces thus ensuring plants growth.




Another hanging precariously approx. 8 metre near the cave entrance






One species of begonia pendula found in abundance.







A gesneriad sp common in limestone hills are plenty here.


A common aquatic plant echinodorus palaefolius or commonly known as amazon sword plant growing by the stream. The flower white with nice fragrance.







No northianas were found to grow on the ground possibly due to the heavy shaded and dense bushes or the seeds being wash off during heavy downpour leaving them no chance to germinate.

Time was running out. We didn't enter to investigate the cave where possibly there are tunnels leading to the hill top. Also there are series of hills broken in between that stretch quite a distance, so that left with our future outings.

[shawnintland]

Great report Robert! Nice to see them 'hanging' in there! Hopefully, with that cliff face there are lots of updrafts carrying the seeds further up the cliff sides to spots with more available light. It looks pretty green in the surroundings, is this generally a wet time of year in that area? Based on the condition of the leaves on the neps it looks like they have a steady year-round supply of water. Thanks!
~Shawn

[Robert]

hi Shawn, we get rain usually in the noon this time of year. This particular limestone hill is always moist and the air very cooling. The dense forest also helped. Trees are always green and there is no annual shedding of leaves.There is constant water seepage and more abundant after a torrential rain. Not just the northiana benefits but lots of other plants associated with limestone. your explaination was conscise as the exposed vertical cliff, which is east facing, has some very dense northiana population.

[delphiguy]

nice report... i love seeing plants in situ

[NepNut]

Thanks for sharing Robert, good to know there's still a good population of N. northiana in the wild....

[allenphoon]

wow....never imagine a nep will root hanging there.....