Sains Malaysiana 41(5)(2012): 505–526

 

Orchids of Cloud Forest in Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia

(Anggerik Hutan Awan Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia)

 

Ng Yong Jin, Khor Hong Eng, Farah Alia Nordin, Rusea Go*, Rosimah Nulit & Tan Mui Ching

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia

43400 UPM Sedang, Selangor, Malaysia

 

Ahmad Ainuddin Nuruddin

Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products, Universiti Putra Malaysia

43400 UPM Sedang, Selangor, Malaysia

 

Lee Nam Sook

Dept. of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Ewha Womans University Seoul, Korea

 

Received: 4 August 2011 / Accepted: 2 November 2011

 

ABSTRACT

 

An inventory of orchid species diversity was carried out in cloud forest of Genting Highlands, which is one of the most developed highland areas in Peninsular Malaysia. Since 1967, construction of roads and hotel complexes has had a serious impact on its physical environment and vegetation. Habitat destructions together with climate change might have caused some orchid species to be extirpated locally or extinct. The cloud forest of Genting Highlands consists of four major peaks, Gunung Ulu Kali, Gunung Chin Chin, Gunung Lari Tembakau and Gunung Mengkuang. However, not much study on orchid diversity was conducted in these areas, therefore, this study is timely and essential to evaluate the current orchid diversity after a gap of three decades. Combined findings from the current study, previous published works and specimens deposited in local herbaria, including those at the Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Forest Researh Institute of Malaysia and Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Singapore Botanic Gardens, an updated list of orchid species found in the cloud forests of Genting Highlands is presented. A total of 134 orchid taxa were recorded, comprised of 51 genera, 132 species, 1 subspecies and 2 varieties, of which 46 are new records to Genting Highlands. Hymenorchis javanica, a species previously reported as endemic to West Jawa was recently discovered in Gunung Ulu Kali. Thirty-three species discovered during this study are currently classified as endemic to Peninsular Malaysia, of which 20 are endemic to Pahang, Perak and Selangor and a very narrowly endemic species; Corybas villosus to Gunung Ulu Kali. Through our observations, most of the orchid species in Gunung Ulu Kali are very susceptible to disappearance due to loss of habitat and local climate change. An assessment of conservation status according to IUCN criterion revealed that 47 orchid taxa from Gunung Ulu Kali were threatened with extinction. Conservation actions were suggested to conserve the orchid diversity in the cloud forest areas of Genting Highlands.

 

Keywords: Cloud forest; Genting Highlands; Orchids; Pahang

ABSTRAK

 

Inventori kepelbagaian spesies anggerik telah dijalankan di hutan awan Genting Highlands, yang merupakan salah satu kawasan tanah tinggi yang paling membangun di Semenanjung Malaysia. Sejak 1967, pembinaan jalan raya dan kompleks hotel mempunyai kesan yang serius ke atas alam sekitar fizikal dan tumbuh-tumbuhan. Kemusnahan habitat bersama-sama dengan perubahan iklim mungkin menyebabkan beberapa spesies anggerik mengalami kepupusan tempatan. Hutan awan Genting Highlands terdiri daripada empat puncak utama, Gunung Ulu Kali, Gunung Chin Chin, Gunung Lari tembakau dan Gunung Mengkuang. Walau bagaimanapun, tidak banyak kajian kepelbagaian anggerik telah dijalankan di kawasan ini. Oleh itu kajian ini adalah tepat pada masanya dan penting untuk menilai kepelbagaian anggerik semasa selepas jurang tiga dekad. Gabungan penemuan daripada kajian semasa, kerja sebelumnya yang telah diterbitkan dan spesimen yang disimpan di herbaria, termasuk Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Institut Penyelidikan Perhutanan Malaysia dan Jabatan Biologi, Fakulti Sains, Universiti Putra Malaysia dan Singapore Botanic Gardens, maka senarai terkini spesies anggerik yang ditemui di hutan awan Genting Highlands diperuntukkan. Sejumlah 134 takson anggerik telah dicatatkan, terdiri daripada 51 genus, 132 spesies, 1 subspesies dan 2 varieti, yang mana 46 daripadanya adalah rekod baru untuk Genting Highlands. Hymenorchis javanica, spesies yang dilaporkan sebelum ini sebagai endemik kepada Jawa Barat baru-baru ini ditemui di Gunung Ulu Kali, merupakan rekod baru untuk Malaysia. Tiga puluh tiga spesies yang dijumpai semasa kajian ini kini dikelaskan sebagai endemik kepada Semenanjung Malaysia, 20 daripadanya adalah endemik kepada Pahang, Perak dan Selangor, dan 1 spesies yang sangat sempit endemiknya; Corybas villosusadalah endemik kepada Gunung Ulu Kali. Melalui pemerhatian kami, kebanyakan spesies anggerik di Gunung Ulu Kali yang sangat terdedah kepada kepupusan disebabkan oleh kehilangan habitat dan perubahan iklim setempat. Suatu penilaian status pemuliharaan mengikut kriteriaIUCN mendapati bahawa 47 takson anggerik dari Gunung Ulu Kali diancam kepupusan. Usulan pemulihara adalah disyorkan untuk memulihara kepelbagaian anggerik di kawasan hutan awan Genting Highlands.

 

Kata kunci: Anggerik; Genting Highlands; hutan awan; Pahang

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*Corresponding author; email:  rusea@science.upm.edu.my