Sunlight and mythical presence

Early morning light filtered through maze of branches and leaves
Location : Provinsi Rattan

Mythical presence

 I am starting to carry more jungle trailing in the early morning now.  There's plenty of ground to be covered.  More areas to explore.  I followed the Kambatik stream as it meanders  through the Provinsi Rattan for about 10 meters and then decided to climb a nearby slope to check out the vegetation.  I was pleased to see rays of light filtering through the dense maze of branches and leaves.  It created a mythical presence especially when it hit one sapling in the midst of the jungle darkness.  In the lowland rainforest less amount of light reaches the ground.  As a result it does not permit the growth of grass.  Furthermore the thick layer of dead leaves and organic litter strangle any invading grass species.  Walking in the jungle means stepping on many dead organic matter and overcoming hurdles of fallen branches, twigs and even trunks of trees.  There are also many saplings scattered about that we have to pass through.  The morning trailing was rewarded by an encounter with the fan palm which the Malays call "Palas" or Licuala ferruginea and it was a fruiting specimen.

The Kambatik stream passing by the area which is home to many species of rattan
Location: Provinsi Rattan

Licuala ferruginea - Palas (Malay)

Spherical fruits of the 'Palas'

Vines and lianas at Licuala hill

View of vines and lianas at Licuala hill

Initial notes

Created this blog today at Kambatik Park, Bintulu.
This blog focus is on the understanding of lowland forest ecology as found in the natural forest vegetation islands and forest fringes preserved in Kambatik nature park.