Ali don't open, poisonous

[Robert]

(this was an old thread posted in other forum which i didn't post here,some of you might have read it. Extra pics not posted before were were added. Enjoy nevertheless).

Gunung Murud was the highest mt in Sarawak and 4th in Malaysia, temperature at night often drop to 12ºC-15ºC, humidity range from approx. 60% (day) to 90% (night). Late evening to early morning it was often windy and foggy. At 2423m asl this tropical mt offer an intriguing plant diversity to naturalist and photographers. The earliest ascent was a Swedish, Eric Mjöherg, in 1922.



Our journey started overland from Lawas town (having flown from kuching, stayed a night in Miri town as there isn’t a direct flight to Lawas ). As our trip spread over 5 days we stock up our rations in Lawas. The journey would take 5 hours ( actual duration should be 3.5 hrs as we often stop to investigate pitcher plants and photography )

Logging trunk a regular sight.


Stenophylla, reinwardtiana and fusca can be spotted on some road banks.











Along the stretch of road we found the first vogelii.


It was already late and we have to put up for a night at Lepo Bunga, at 1300m was the highest point 4x4 can reached. It isn’t a village or settlement but a simple wooden shade, a name given by the local Kelabit tribe who built it for their convenience but occasionally used by travellers and hunters.

The Lepo Bunga wooden shade


Just before sunset a walk around Lepo Bunga offered a fantastic sunset. Over the horizon was Brunei’s Temburong National Park.


Admiring the landscape below

[Robert]

Continuing our journey the next day. A clear day and blue sky. Notice some tree crowns were overgrown with lichen reflecting their fleshy white in the morning sun.




Some get detached and dropped. It was soft and moist.


The wooded forest-sunlight penetrating, awesome!


Halfway reaching the mountain ridge already we’re entering the sub-montane mossy forest where we came across mostly tentaculata.


Our guides taking a rest


At the mountain ridge 1950m we’re too spoilt – N.lowii among the low bushes and trees.




….and hurrelliana…woohoooo!


At Batu Linanit 2248m , it offered another fantastic view of Batu Lawi.


Reaching the Church camp where it would be our temporary mt home. Church Camp consisted of wooden houses built individually by the kelabit from surrounding villages.It was their temporary home, use once a year for their annual pilgrimage.



The night-dinner and chat. Night was cold + the very windy condition make it very chilling. Our porters ( most are seasonal and part time farmers, forest gatherers and hunters when not engaging as porters) throw in some of their hunting trip and adventure, how they got lost and found their way out....candle put off..all was dark...heard nothing except the howling wind and broke occassional by the cries of nocturnal creatures.

Dinner served

[Robert]

Early morning temperature and humidity measurement


The drain overcrowded with sphagnum moss


Temp and humidity inside the forest during the day


The followings were taken during our time on the summit and our return trip.

More …. N,lowii












Sunbird feeding on lowii’s nectar










Hurrelliana






Murudensis











Muluensis




tentaculata




Questions and comments are welcome

[Jimmy]

Amazing! All of those Nepenthes are spectacular. I love all those varieties of N. tentaculata. I'll be getting some N. lowii seeds soon...I can only hope that I'll get some nice plants, like that hairy juvenile N. lowii, or one that is relatively more vigorous than regular N. lowii!

Thanks for posting this here. I always like to see and hear of other peoples' adventures!

[kentosaurs]

Hi Robert

BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love to see lowii in the wild......Few days back i was just wondering why hardly anyone post pics of lowii in the wild and here it is

Also i like the reinwartiana and the hurreliana..................LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.......

Ken

[plantlover]

OMG!!! lovely lowii !!!!! I love the shape of lowii upper pitchers so much.

[kentosaurs]

And also its good to see you Robert if thats you......The bical i gt from you was gonna make a inflating pitcher but suddenly stoped when the bud biecame bigger............Those hurreliana are just so colourful.

Ken

[xMagicsZ]

WOw COOL pictures.. i like N.lowii its so cool lol and the Murudensis
is amazingly huge haha thanks

[funkychips]

Thanks for sharing these pics Robert!! I have a personal liking to such places as they just look so surreal, especially with the apple green sphagnum moss and the morning mist... Hurrelliana is an easy favourite of mine too.

[David]

LOVE all your pictures Robert. Thanks for sharing it with us here.