I drove along the country road in Kedah and found out that there was no sight of
Cryptocoryne in most of the rivers. At 2pm, I decided to turn back, and I saw a small river running through a patch of disturbed forest near the roadside. I went down and found out there is nothing in the river. I walked along the river for 20 minutes and found a smaller feeder stream. I checked out that stream and found a lot of
Betta pugnax (wild fighting fish) but still there was no sight of aquatic aroid. I walked out from the stream and on a higher ground, I saw a muddy pond about 10 meters away from me. I went to that pond and I was stunned of what I found......a clump of
Cryptocoryne growing half submerged on the leaf litter of the pond.
I was so excited but I didn't realised that I was standing on the ant's nest! Within a minute, hundreds of ant crawling all over my legs and bit me! The leeches also joined the party!!! Oh Dxxx!!! I screamed so loud like wild beast and ran so fast to that small river to get rid of those insects.
10 minutes, I felt much better and found another way to reach that pond. At first I thought it was the common Crypt. minima but after I found the spathe (flower), I told myself that I must be dreaming......because the plant is the rarest aquatic aroid from Peninsular Malaysia....
Cryptocoryne elliptica!!!!
I never really expected to find it and.....I was so excited until I didn't mind the leeches crawling into my legs to suck my blood. Hurray!!! I found it, at last!
The muddy pond:
A clump of
Cryptocoryne elliptica!!!! The population is very small, less than 50 plants were found on the site.
This species is very special because it can grow from the leaf. The picture below is showing a young plant is growing out from an old leaf.
The spathe (flower) of
Cryptocoryne elliptica!!!!
Re: Journey to northern Peninsular Malaysia
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