Back in CCNR and wet again

I had initially thought that the day was going to be hot and sunny, perfect for another day of exploration. Unfortunately, it started drizzling when we alighted from the cab and a torrential rain came soon after in minutes… The best was that I was dressed in sleeveless and did not brought any rain gear. Luckily PY have an umbrella for me while she wore her waterproof jacket.

And so, for the next miserable two hours or so, we walked in the rain (x3 worse than last week…), and unable to take out my camera to take photos. And I was also unable to bash into the swamp for fear of falling branches. Fortunately, the sky cleared while we were walking back and I was still able to capture some pictures along the trail.

Again, some pictures of interesting plants (to me) which were mostly alien to me. Appreciate any help in the ID once again.

 
A plant that looks seemingly like any other.

 
But it has cool large stipules.

 
A plant with nice branching. Update> Carallia brachiata.
  
A tree with crenulate leaves,
  
with small fruits that have random minute projections on the surface. Update> The leaves seem to match Elaeocarpus nitidus, but the fruits differ much in size from descriptions.

Here are two Ficus spp. that I have not seen before. One above~

And another standing beside it,

Here is the underside of that Ficus sp. Update> Probably Ficus variegata.

  
Here is another tree which have pinkish fruits that comes in threes.

A back view. Update: Glochidion lutescens.
   
After learning this plant, Pternandra echinata, last week, I managed to find its flower today.

 
A Clerodendrum probably laevifolium? Update> Clerodendrum deflexum.

A nice butterfly, Lexias pardalis dirteana, stopped by just in front of us.

A tree that look like an Anacardiaceae. 
  
With the yet to open inflorescence at the tips. Update> Probably Campnosperma squamatum.

Here is a look at its habit.
  
This is one one really tall Pandanus sp! Update> Probably Pandanus artocarpus.

Among all the plants, this climber is what I wanted to know the ID most. Probably an Apocynaceae because of the opposite leaves and copious white sap. Update> I think this might be Willughbeia grandiflora.

 
Another climber with nice heart-shaped leaves. Update> Piper flavimarginatum.

 
I have not noticed this before, but now I realised that this Nepenthes gracilis is sprawling all over the ground!

A is a view of the Catchment when we were walking off. Because of the rain, the forest where we were in seems like a montane forest with all the fog~

 
Along Old Upper Thomson road, we saw this Long-tailed macaque dead on the sideway with clear tyre tracks on the mud. Hit and run?

Thanks to WF, CK and AL for the IDs.

Short walk at CCNR

Despite the dark clouds above, PY and I still decided to go ahead since her bf and L are already on the way to meet us to today’s trip to CCNR.

Alas, all the plants were totally different from what I know thus far, besides the few common edge species. Appreciate if you can share if you know what are those below!

A plant with fruiting berries. Update> Urophyllum griffithinum

This is a plant from Moraceae family, and very hairy all over. Update> Ficus aurata

A plant with tri-veined leaves. Update> Ziziphus calophylla

Another tri-veined leaved plant with is narrower and with fruits. Update> Pternandra echinata

Here is another angle of it.

A seemingly common plant which I have not learn yet… Update> Macaranga heynei

Because of all the weird rain recently, this trail seems more flooded then usual.

I was just peeping into this curiously big tree from the trail and decided to investigate. Surprise surprise, after bashing in checking the fallen leaves, it is an Alstonia pneumatophora. Apparently it was the exact same tree T told me again after checking his email back home.

Near the tree, a cool spiny spider, probably Gasteracantha sp.

Near it, strangely shaped trunk or liana that wrapped around another tree high up. Wonder what this plant is. Update> Ficus sp.

Because of the swampy condition, many trees have slit roots or kneed roots like this above to breathe. Update> Myristica elliptica

Unfortunately, it poured pretty terribly right after this and we have to exit the canopy to the main trail to avoid any potential tree falls. I was the only one without umbrella and wore a weather proof jacket that was not water proof…


I wanted to reach this part where there was this tree with weird tombstone-like roots. Update> Lophopetalum multinervium

Went in again but couldn’t locate that particular tree which gave rise to the roots. However, we decided that it was probably one with a larger trunk then the else of them and because the trunk colour looked similar to the roots. I tried to take a picture of the canopy but only managed one since my camera is not weatherproof. You can see the rain drops above…

A climber of Melastomataceae, with hairy branches, petioles that extend to the main-veined. Update> Macrolenes echinulata

Lastly, another familiar plant which I have no idea… Update> Ampelocissus elegans

Thanks JL, VB and KY for the help in ID~

Another new cucumber to Singapore’s list

KS have already blogged about this but I thought I will also do one just to feed my blog which I have been neglecting lately. :)

The pink spotted sea cucumber, seen quite for quite a awhile in our shores, finally have a name, Holothuria fuscocinera. Click on the picture above to access the article from Nature in Singapore, written by LN, KS and me.

I shall leave Ria, who will probably do a posting about this, to share the details.