A flowering specimen of Hoya
lasiantha was recently observed by
Chan Y.M., a well-known botanist, in the Bukit Lagong forest, near the Park.
Hoya is a popular ornamental
plant, with around 200-300 species of Hoya around the world, mainly in Asia,
including India, China, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Within Peninsular Malaysia, 26 species
have been recorded.
Hoya are also known as
waxplant or waxvines, and are often epiphytic creepers or vines. Hoya have attractive scented flowers
that grow in cute umbrella like bunches, called umbels. Many flowers produce
abundant nectar, making them attractive to insects.
Hoya lasiantha is commonly considered rare, and is recorded from
lowland forests in Selangor (Ulu Gombak and Semenyih thus likely within the Park)
and Perak. H. lasiantha is also known from Johor (Labis and Endau-Rompin),
with the latest collection from Hulu Terengganu (Tembat). However, according to Y.M. Chan, “the
species may be more common in the peninsula than previously thought. The reason it is rarely collected could
be because it is not easily spotted as the epiphytic plant usually grows in the
canopy.”
Extracted from:
Conservation Malaysia
bulletin, Issue no. 18(2013), write up by Chan Y.M.
.JPG)
