Vol
7 No 3
Dec 2000
Traditional uses
of mangroves
Reflections of a Rhizophora Seedling
Pink-necked
Green Pigeon
BotanicalReveries
about the common names of plants
Cymbly Great
rediscovery of
an extinct Cymbidium
at the Park
Rediscovered Palm at the Park: Nibong
Deborah Yeo shares her volunteer experience
The value of trees by Julian
Nick's encounter with Smooth Otters
at the Park
About the signboards
at the Park
Up & Coming Boardwalks
and Tower Hide |
|
Cymbly
Great! |
joseph lai
conservation officer
|
Anyone
interested in
mangrove plants?
Well, we have Cymbly (simply) great news for your. I have discovered
a beautiful orchid Cymbidium bicolor spp. pubescens, in Sungei Buloh!
Listed as an extinct orchid in the Red Data Book, it was last collected
in Sungei Buloh in 1891 by Mr H. N. Ridley. That's almost a hundred year
and ten years ago, and this species has miraculously survived much habitat
loss. Let us all hope it is the same happy-ending story for the rest of
twenty-six species of orchids (of which 24 are extinct) that were recorded
in Sungei Buloh.
Significance
The discovery of the orchid obviously adds one more species to our
current record of plants found in Sungei Buloh. It suggests a richer
plant diversity than once thought of. However, the significance of
the discovery lies much deeper.
Firstly, the orchid is a living thing. Secondly, it is a dynamic member
of the mangrove system and intricately interdependent with a host
of other life forms. Through the millennia, it has evolved with other
natural living things to form the highly complex and specialised life
system of the mangrove that we have today.
For example, bees and other insects are attracted to the orchid flowers,
pollinating them while taking nourishment from nectar and pollen.
These are the same insects that help to pollinate other plants in
the mangrove too, such as the Buta Buta (Exoecaria agallocha)
tree, on which the orchid is dependent for support. Of course, this
is a rather oversimplified example of the species-interdependence. |
Fact
File

Cymbidium
bicolor Lindl. spp. pubescens (Lindl.)
Du Puy & P. J. Cribb
Family: Orchidaceae
Habit: Epiphytic
Habitat: On trees in exposed places near the sea.
Description: Leaves about 45cm long, 1.5cm wide, wide
arching, not drooping in habit, leaf bases persistent, enclosing
pseudobulbs within; raceme pendulous to 25cm long; sepals and
petals with broad dark purple central band, edges pale green,
less than 2cm long, 0.5cm wide; lip yellowish with purple-brown
spots; column dark purple, tip pale yellow with purple spots.
Distribution: Malay peninsula, Singapore, Sumatra, Java
and Borneo. |
|
New discoveryof
plants, insects, or animals, etcis not just a statistic, but a significant
indication of the vitality of the mangrove's biological system. It shows
that the mangroves are much healthier and in better shape than we thought.
While only one clump of the orchid has been found so far, we have not given
up hope of finding others. In the meantime, we need to increase the number
through selective propagation. The clump will be monitored regularly so
as to obtain the next batch of fruiting capsules. A direct consequence of
new discoveries also provides us with new material for research and educational
purposes. |