Tropical Rainforest Flora in Malaysia

The forests in Malaysia are mostly dominated by trees from the Dipterocarpaceae family, hence the term ‘dipterocarp forests’. The dipterocarp forest occurs on dry land just above sea level to an altitude of about 900 metres.

(Source: WWF- Malaysia)

Tropical rainforests swarm with flora species richness. As a global hot spot, plant biodiversity in our country merits special attention and conservation of these unique life forms to avoid becoming endangered plants. Among the plants in the tropical forest are:

Unique Plants

Opportunistic Plants

Fungi Plants

Fern Plants

Simple Plants

Other Rainforest Plants

Sex Life Plants

Unique Rainforest Plants Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo combined comprise over 20,000 species of

flowering flora. For all of these plants to thrive, they have to adapt.

Some make relationships with ants; while others eat insects. Certain plants grow well in the shade of trees, and some only exist in microhabitats like limestone or upper montane areas.

Some of these 'endemic plants' like many wild orchids, are at risk of being extinct due to land use changes and over-collecting pressure.

Examples: Cycads, ant plant, wild orchids, rafflesia, pitcher plant, sundew, insectivorous plant.

Rafflesia (Source: WWF Global)

Pitcher Plant (Source: pitcherplantfever.com)

Opportunistic Rainforest Plants

Climbing jungle vines can be found latching on to woody stems and eventually creep through the forest canopy on outstretched tree limbs.

Thick and twisted lianas hang on the tree and other plants, such as ferns, mosses and orchids, live in the upper canopy as tree dwellers.They obtain sunlight and sufficient nutrients from rainwater with the favorable habitat on the host tree without harming it.

While the strangler fig not only uses a host tree for support, but spreads its woody tentacles to embrace, grow thicker and replace it, leaving behind a decaying trunk in the middle.

Examples: Epiphytes, strangler figs, climbing plants, rattans and lianas.

Strangler Fig (Source: Wikipedia)

Rainforest Fungi

Fungi pop up from the rainforest leaf litter, living on dead organic mattersprout from decaying logs and even rise atop elephant dung.

Fungi do not contain chlorophyll. They gain nourishment from food left in the host plant and they varies in shapes and sizes from little cups to plate-like brackets to mushrooms and puffballs.

Certain cup fungus give off a faint glow at night, a cool characteristic known as bioluminescence.

Examples: Stinkhorn fungus, cup fungus, coral fungus, bracket fungi

Bioluminescent Fungi (Source: WWF Global)

Smelly stinkhorn fungus

Rainforest Ferns

Ferns populate the jungle at every level with leafy green abundance. Some are epiphytes clinging to tree limbs, others stand upright from the forest floor or creep over rocks.

Tree ferns grow in groves on sticks standing 10-meters tall with 4-meter long leaves.

Ferns are non-flowering; they produce no fruitsor seeds and reproduce by spores. With plenty of rainfall and sunshine to nourish these plants, there are over 650 species in Malaysia.

Examples: Tree ferns, stag horn ferns, birds nest ferns, oak leaf ferns and resam.

Epiphytic fern(Source: Fernsworld)

Simple Rainforest Plants

Tropical rainforests harbor astounding floral diversity. Some of these plants are small and simple.

The bryophytes, consisting of liverworts, liverworts and mosses, flourish in moist habitats that allow them to absorb water without roots.

They are found in montane habitats, usually above 1500 meters, these plants make up the "mossy forests" with trunks and branches festooned with a thick, wet carpet cover.

Examples: Bryophytes, liverworts,hornworts, mosses

The wet mossy forest(Source: Wikipedia)

Other Rainforest Plants

Fan and feather palms exhibit a distinctive gallery of ornate leaves. Palms thrive in the forest understory and even climb with tiny spines pointing backward.

Bamboo plants are really grasses and the native rainforest species are not common in all areas. Some are very rare and only found on mountains; others prefer the foothills along streams and grow up to 20 meters.

Examples: Bamboo plants, palm plants, lichens