John&Jacq~s Garden

Visit to Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden

Came home, fully refreshed and rejuvenated after a morning trip to Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden on Saturday, August 1.

Malaysia’s world-renowned ‘Forest of Knowledge’ (its English name) that is located in the University of Malaya campus, Kuala Lumpur. So aptly named, as its botanical concept is not a formal flower garden, but rather a tropical rainforest garden with over 1,600 species as living collections, spanning an area of 80 hectares. It even houses UM’s herbarium, our country’s largest university collection of 63,000 accessions. Do explore Rimba Ilmu website to be enthralled.

Frankly, until very recently, John and I didn’t even know its existence! Thanks to W. George Schmid and Sugumaran for introducing us to this magnificent tropical treasure of plant life in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city.

Hence, with joyous gratitude, we too would like to introduce to the world, Malaysia’s prestigious Rimba Ilmu Botanical Garden with a virtual tour of its many treasures therein. A photo gallery actually, of images captured during the conducted garden tour! Enjoy please!

1) In the vicinity of the main building and courtyard :
where it boasts of various tropical plants, such as Bougainvillea, Ixora and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, popular arbour vines like Red Passiflora coccinea and Thunbergia laurifolia, spectacular palms, and aquatic plants like water lilies, etc. in an ornamental pond at the courtyard.

Front entrance into Rimba Ilmu’s main building

Murraya paniculata (Orange Jessamine): native to Southeast Asia, China and Australia;

Passiflora coccinea (Red granadilla): native to S. America, a climber with striking red flowers on a 4.5 m tall pole

Latania loddigesii (Blue Latan Palm, Silver Latan Palm): ornamental tropical palm, native to Mauritius Island.

Cycas clivicola: this is a male plant, seen here which develops a relatively large cone. Native to southern Thailand and Peninsula Malaysia

Pandanus tectorius (Tahitian Screwpine, Hala), native to Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia and Australia. On the right is the variegated one, Pandanus variegatus (P. baptisii)

2) Garden tour into the Forest of Knowledge proper :
where more than 1,600 species are packed into the living collections. Included are rare plants and various kinds of medicinal herbs, ferns, gingers, palms, citruses and and trees, mostly indigenous Malaysian and Indonesian flora though plant species from elsewhere are included too.
Tropical fauna abounds therein and a clearwater stream flows within its grounds, inhabited with algae and teeming with small fishes, etc. Dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies and birds were observed too. Metal plant ID tags are common features of the landscape to introduce the plants’ identity and provide brief profile details. There is an enclosed Fernery situated nearby…unfortunately it was locked during our visit.

Thysanolaena latifolia (Bamboo Grass): native to India, through Burma and S. China to the Malay Peninsula. Leaves used as wrappers for Chines glutonous rice dumplings, inflorescences made into soft broom-heads

Vatica yeechongii: endemic to Peninsula Malaysia. A very rare thin crooked tree along fast-flowing streams. First discovered in 2002

Grammatophyllum speciosum (Tiger Orchid, Sugar Cane Orchid, Queen of the Orchids, Giant Orchid): world’s largest orchid, native to New Guinea, Indonesia and Malaysia. On record, the largest single plant had a mass of 2 tons. More info at wikipedia and flowers at Garden Chronicles.

Jatropha podagrica – An ornamental, native to Central America. Pounded leaves used as poultice over sores and swellings; latex possible source of bio-fuel. Plant profile here.

Selaginella plana: native to Peninsular Malaysia. Medicinal herb used to treat stomach aches, rheumatism, coughs, asthma and in post-natal tonics

Polygonum minus: native to Asia, Australia and Europe. Leaf decoction used to relief indigestion and oil from leaves to treat dandruff. Popular condiment in local dishes

Cibotium barometz (Golden Chicken Fern, Scythian Lamb, Woolly Fern): native to China and Peninsula Malaysia. A species of Tree Fern with fronds up to 3m long

Dypsis leptocheilos (Redneck Palm, Teddy Bear Palm): native to Madagascar. Leaf sheaths is red-coloured, crownshaft is a light rusty colour and trunk, a waxy white

Johannesteijsmannia magnifica (‘Daun Payung’ in Malay language or Umbrella Leaf): native to Peninsula Malaysia. A rare and spectacular forest understorey palm

Just to feature how large and long the aerial roots of the rainforest trees can be, about 100 m or more. To clear a jungle, the loggers have first to chop off these tough and hardy roots clasping the forest trees

Oncosperma tigillarium (Nibung Palm): native to Peninsula Thailand and Malaysia, an Sumatra, Borneo and Java. Rot resistant wood used as construction materials for kelong and fish traps

Syzygium gratum (Gelam Tikus in Malay language): native to Burma, Indo-China, Peninsula Malaysia. Tree trunk has fabulous-looking thin papery reddish-brown bark breaking into flaks

To the right is Bismarckia nobilis: ornamental tropical palm, native to Madagascar. Trunk flattened for use in partition walling, leaves for thatch and baskets, pith for sago

A section of the tropical rainforest. Observing closely, one can see Bird’s Nest Ferns (Asplenium nidus), thriving high above tree trunks

A section of the tropical rainforest: when scrutinized, one can see the long hardy aerial roots criss-cross amongst the trees

3) Inside the Rare Plants and Orchids Conservatory :
indeed, plants and orchids therein were rarely seen. How wonderful that some wild orchids were blooming then and delighted to have captured them to share here.

Alocasia cuprea (Giant Caladium, Elephant Ear): endemic to Borneo, in lowland rainforests. Leaves undersides is maroon or dark purplish-red in color

Platycerium cf. coronarium (Staghorn Fern, Tanduk Rusa in Malay language): native to Philippines, Indo-China, Malaysia. Plant info on Platycerium here.

Begonia rajah: native to Peninsula Malaysia, in lowland forests. Highly sought for its stunning variegated foliage in deep red and vivid green veins

Paphiopedilum barbatum (Slipper Orchid): endemic to Peninsula Malaysia. Enjoy a photo gallery of wild orchids of Malaya here

Variegated foliage of Paphiopedilum barbatum (Slipper Orchid), as beautiful as its flower, seen on the left picture

Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum (Slipper Orchid): endemic to Java. Get to see more photos of Paph. species and hybrids here.

Paphiopedilum rothschildianum (Slipper Orchid, King of the Paphs): endemic to Borneo

Rare plants and orchids inside the conservatory of Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden

Another section of the rare plants and orchids inside the conservatory

4) Inside the ‘Rain Forests and Our Environment’ Exhibition Hall :
provides excellent material and information about the Malaysian rainforest, its biodiversity and usefulness in environmental conservation. Too bad, the exhibition was less than 20 minutes rushed sighting for us, just insufficient time to enjoy the richness available.

Product exhibits

Samples of various kinds of timber/wood, showcasing the differing colours, textures and weight

Exhibits of mushrooms in Malaysia

Posters/text panels on Rafflesia

Posters/text panels on Mt. Kinabalu, Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site

Poster on preserving biodiversity

We truly enjoyed the conducted garden tour by Ms. Angela (thank you!).

Our garden visit to Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden was really an eye-opener, most enlightening and educative, even though there weren’t enough amazing flowers to enthral us as in a formal floral botanic garden. After all, it is THE FOREST OF KNOWLEDGE and it sure was true to its name!

Most plants therein have their identity clearly tagged, an example as seen on the left picture. However, since we lagged far behind the other tour participants, capturing photos and enjoying the beauty that abounds, some name tags were ignored. Haha…the nature lovers!

Thus, had to email to Mr. Sugumaran of Rimba Ilmu, Univerisity of Malaya, for help in some of the plants’ ID and he responded so graciously and kindly.

Our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Mr. Sugumaran. What a blessing he had been to us! :D

Rimba Ilmu’s Address:
The Coordinator
Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden
Institute of Biological Sciences
University of Malaya
50603 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

(Tel: 603-79674686, 603-79674690)

Last edit: June 2, 2016

Tags: Garden Tours/Visits, visit malaysia