Chirita Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don are herbs of limestone while Utricularia L. are small carnivorous he... more Chirita Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don are herbs of limestone while Utricularia L. are small carnivorous herbs of wet habitats. Seed testa surface has proved to provide diagnostic characters for sections Chirita and Microchirita C.B.Clarke in the genus Chirita, replacing the stigma character previously used and showed less variation, therefore caused confusion in the past. Chirita lacunosa (Hook.f.) B.L. Burtt from section Chirita (the only species in this section in Peninsular Malaysia) has a reticulate testa while other species from section Microchirita possess knobbly or cannicolate testa. For the genus Utricularia, species from section Phyllaria (Kurz) Kamienski often show variable macro-characters, but micro-characters such as seed testa are less variable and provide diagnostic characters for species determination. For example, a specimen from the highlands of Kelantan was distinguished from the similar morphology but more common Utricularia striatula Sm. by its testa and could be identi...
Batu Caves hill is typical of karst hills in Peninsular Malaysia due to its small size and high b... more Batu Caves hill is typical of karst hills in Peninsular Malaysia due to its small size and high biodiversity. It harbours 366 vascular plant species that represent about 25% of the Peninsula’s limestone flora. Five species are endemic to Batu Caves and 23 are threatened species. This high biodiversity is the result of many microhabitats, each with their own assemblages of species. Threats are especially severe as the area of Batu Caves is surrounded by urbanisation that encroaches to the foot of cliffs, is vulnerable to fire, habitat disturbance and, formerly, by quarrying. Assigning a Conservation Importance Score (CIS) to all species is quantitative and accurate, can be implemented rapidly and produces reproducible results. Species with highest CIS are native species of primary vegetation, restricted to limestone substrates, endangered conservation status and, in this case, endemic to Batu Caves. It allows not only species, but microhabitats, sites within a hill and different hill...
A botanical inventory for Gunung Padang, Terengganu, based on three expeditions (1937, 1969 and 2... more A botanical inventory for Gunung Padang, Terengganu, based on three expeditions (1937, 1969 and 2010) resulted in an annotated checklist of 509 species of vascular plants in 254 genera and 110 families. The largest family was Rubiaceae (21 genera, 66 species), followed by Palmae (12 genera,37 species) and Zingiberaceae (9 genera, 19 species) and the most speciose genera were Ardisia (13species) and Pinanga, Aglaia, Ficus and Syzygium, each with 10 species. About 17% (85 taxa) are endemic to Peninsular Malaysia of which 12 taxa are narrowly endemic and known only from G. Padang. . The flora shows only poor links with the Bornean or Riau pocket floras and the summit upper montane forest is significantly different from that of the Main Range in the absence of Ericaceae and the paucity of epiphytes. Very little is known about the diet of Tapir, Tapirus indicus, in Peninsular Malaysia is and for the first time fruits of Erycibe griffithii (Convolvulaceae) are reported as being consumed in quantity by tapir.
Bothriospermum zeylanicum (J.Jacq.) Druce (Boraginaceae), a species native to Asia, has recently ... more Bothriospermum zeylanicum (J.Jacq.) Druce (Boraginaceae), a species native to Asia, has recently become naturalised in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. A description of the genus and species together with colour photographs are provided. It is the only representative of Boraginaceae sensu stricto (i.e. subfam. Boraginoideae) in Peninsular Malaysia.
The genus Microchirita (C.B.Clarke) Y.Z. Wang and the closely related genus Damrongia are herbs o... more The genus Microchirita (C.B.Clarke) Y.Z. Wang and the closely related genus Damrongia are herbs of limestone while Utricularia L. species are small carnivorous herbs of wet habitats. Seed testa surface proves to provide diagnostic characters for Microchirita and Damrongia replacing stigma character that was previously used and that has caused confusion in the past. Damrongia has a reticulate testa while species from the genus Microchirita possess knobbly or cannicolate testa. For the genus Utricularia, species from section Phyllaria (Kurz) Kamienski often show variable macro-characters, but micro-characters such as seed testa are less variable and provide diagnostic characters for species determination. For example, a specimen from the highlands of Kelantan was distinguished from the morphologically similar but more common Utricularia striatula Sm. by its testa and could be identified as U. furcellata Oliv., a rare species formerly recorded only from North East India. The testa cells of U. furcellata have long processes with knobbly tips, while those of U. striatula have glochidiate processes with stellate tips. SEM model JOEL and FEI were used to examine seeds of both genera.
The genus Microchirita (C.B.Clarke) Y.Z. Wang and the closely related genus Damrongia Kerr ex Cra... more The genus Microchirita (C.B.Clarke) Y.Z. Wang and the closely related genus Damrongia Kerr ex Craib formerly were included in genus Chirilil Buch.-Ham. ex O.Oon are succulent herbs while Utricu/aria L. is a small aquatic plant. All these genera have diagnostic microstructures visible under SEM. However, their soft tissues suffer distortions of shape and dimension when dehydrated or preserved with strong fixatives, or the microstructures are obscured and need micro-dissection and micro-manipulation to examine the pertinent parts. The abaxial stigma of Microchirita and Damrongia normally has a papillate surface, but a long period offixation in preservatives is not suitable because the cells collapse. This also happens with Critical Point Drying (CPO). This is probably due to the papillate cells being thin-walled and turgid in life. For Utricu/aria floral and vegetative parts, long periods of storage in preservatives almost always guarantees cell collapse to a varying degree, although seldom visible under the LM. Environmental SEM is not suitable, as samples experience shrinkage once the surface water evaporates. Best results are obtained when samples are fixed prior to CPO. Ex-sitl/live collection is invaluable in providing fresh material for study, especially in the case of rare species from remote places which flower seasonally.
Chirita Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don are herbs of limestone while Utricularia L. are small carnivorous he... more Chirita Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don are herbs of limestone while Utricularia L. are small carnivorous herbs of wet habitats. Seed testa surface has proved to provide diagnostic characters for sections Chirita and Microchirita C.B.Clarke in the genus Chirita, replacing the stigma character previously used and showed less variation, therefore caused confusion in the past. Chirita lacunosa (Hook.f.) B.L. Burtt from section Chirita (the only species in this section in Peninsular Malaysia) has a reticulate testa while other species from section Microchirita possess knobbly or cannicolate testa. For the genus Utricularia, species from section Phyllaria (Kurz) Kamienski often show variable macro-characters, but micro-characters such as seed testa are less variable and provide diagnostic characters for species determination. For example, a specimen from the highlands of Kelantan was distinguished from the similar morphology but more common Utricularia striatula Sm. by its testa and could be identi...
Batu Caves hill is typical of karst hills in Peninsular Malaysia due to its small size and high b... more Batu Caves hill is typical of karst hills in Peninsular Malaysia due to its small size and high biodiversity. It harbours 366 vascular plant species that represent about 25% of the Peninsula’s limestone flora. Five species are endemic to Batu Caves and 23 are threatened species. This high biodiversity is the result of many microhabitats, each with their own assemblages of species. Threats are especially severe as the area of Batu Caves is surrounded by urbanisation that encroaches to the foot of cliffs, is vulnerable to fire, habitat disturbance and, formerly, by quarrying. Assigning a Conservation Importance Score (CIS) to all species is quantitative and accurate, can be implemented rapidly and produces reproducible results. Species with highest CIS are native species of primary vegetation, restricted to limestone substrates, endangered conservation status and, in this case, endemic to Batu Caves. It allows not only species, but microhabitats, sites within a hill and different hill...
A botanical inventory for Gunung Padang, Terengganu, based on three expeditions (1937, 1969 and 2... more A botanical inventory for Gunung Padang, Terengganu, based on three expeditions (1937, 1969 and 2010) resulted in an annotated checklist of 509 species of vascular plants in 254 genera and 110 families. The largest family was Rubiaceae (21 genera, 66 species), followed by Palmae (12 genera,37 species) and Zingiberaceae (9 genera, 19 species) and the most speciose genera were Ardisia (13species) and Pinanga, Aglaia, Ficus and Syzygium, each with 10 species. About 17% (85 taxa) are endemic to Peninsular Malaysia of which 12 taxa are narrowly endemic and known only from G. Padang. . The flora shows only poor links with the Bornean or Riau pocket floras and the summit upper montane forest is significantly different from that of the Main Range in the absence of Ericaceae and the paucity of epiphytes. Very little is known about the diet of Tapir, Tapirus indicus, in Peninsular Malaysia is and for the first time fruits of Erycibe griffithii (Convolvulaceae) are reported as being consumed in quantity by tapir.
Bothriospermum zeylanicum (J.Jacq.) Druce (Boraginaceae), a species native to Asia, has recently ... more Bothriospermum zeylanicum (J.Jacq.) Druce (Boraginaceae), a species native to Asia, has recently become naturalised in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. A description of the genus and species together with colour photographs are provided. It is the only representative of Boraginaceae sensu stricto (i.e. subfam. Boraginoideae) in Peninsular Malaysia.
The genus Microchirita (C.B.Clarke) Y.Z. Wang and the closely related genus Damrongia are herbs o... more The genus Microchirita (C.B.Clarke) Y.Z. Wang and the closely related genus Damrongia are herbs of limestone while Utricularia L. species are small carnivorous herbs of wet habitats. Seed testa surface proves to provide diagnostic characters for Microchirita and Damrongia replacing stigma character that was previously used and that has caused confusion in the past. Damrongia has a reticulate testa while species from the genus Microchirita possess knobbly or cannicolate testa. For the genus Utricularia, species from section Phyllaria (Kurz) Kamienski often show variable macro-characters, but micro-characters such as seed testa are less variable and provide diagnostic characters for species determination. For example, a specimen from the highlands of Kelantan was distinguished from the morphologically similar but more common Utricularia striatula Sm. by its testa and could be identified as U. furcellata Oliv., a rare species formerly recorded only from North East India. The testa cells of U. furcellata have long processes with knobbly tips, while those of U. striatula have glochidiate processes with stellate tips. SEM model JOEL and FEI were used to examine seeds of both genera.
The genus Microchirita (C.B.Clarke) Y.Z. Wang and the closely related genus Damrongia Kerr ex Cra... more The genus Microchirita (C.B.Clarke) Y.Z. Wang and the closely related genus Damrongia Kerr ex Craib formerly were included in genus Chirilil Buch.-Ham. ex O.Oon are succulent herbs while Utricu/aria L. is a small aquatic plant. All these genera have diagnostic microstructures visible under SEM. However, their soft tissues suffer distortions of shape and dimension when dehydrated or preserved with strong fixatives, or the microstructures are obscured and need micro-dissection and micro-manipulation to examine the pertinent parts. The abaxial stigma of Microchirita and Damrongia normally has a papillate surface, but a long period offixation in preservatives is not suitable because the cells collapse. This also happens with Critical Point Drying (CPO). This is probably due to the papillate cells being thin-walled and turgid in life. For Utricu/aria floral and vegetative parts, long periods of storage in preservatives almost always guarantees cell collapse to a varying degree, although seldom visible under the LM. Environmental SEM is not suitable, as samples experience shrinkage once the surface water evaporates. Best results are obtained when samples are fixed prior to CPO. Ex-sitl/live collection is invaluable in providing fresh material for study, especially in the case of rare species from remote places which flower seasonally.
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