| Flora (Plants) | Canopy Walk | Insects | Protected Forest |
NOTICE
The Park is closed since 2020 because of Covid-19
The park remain closed until further notice
Further Contact
Tawau District Forestry Office
+60 89 761 833
+60 89 761 835
+60 89 761 863
PUSAT
SEJADI BUKIT GEMOK
TAWAU, SABAH, MALAYSIA
Bukit Gemok Recreational Forest Park
Here are some Bornean flora for botany interest.
Seeds that dispersal by wind.
Unidentified seeds that fly with long silky threads. Long tuft of hair on the seed help to catch the wind and enable seed to fly far away.
BUKIT GEMOK 2010-08-08 SUN 14:05
More about the Flora of Borneo
Winged Dipterocarp seeds collected from the forest floor of Bukit Germok,
Sabah, Borneo.
BUKIT GEMOK 2005-07-24 SUN 14:10
The winged seed of Alsomitra macrocarpa
Alsomitra macrocarpa's common name is Javan cucumber. Origin of Indonesia,
Borneo Island
The winged seeds of the Javanese cucumber are the largest floating seeds in the
world.
By hovering like a butterfly, they can bridge enormous distances. Even without wind in a rainforest the seeds can be spread to a distance.
The species is featured in the BBC documentary Life and drew the attention of several scientists who study aerodynamics and aircraft movements.
The plant grows as a vine and belongs to the gourd family. The fruits are as big
as a football, quite remarkable on its own.
The Alsomitra Vine grows from the forest floor and up the surrounding trees
to the highest point it can reach.
Once it is high above the forest floor, it begins developing a football-sized
pod. In this pod there are around four hundred seeds.
The problem is, if all of these seeds just feel to the forest floor, all of
these vines would have to complete for soil nutrients and sunlight. So, it is
vital for this vine to send these seeds off as far as possible. The way this
issue is overcome is by flight. Each seed is encased in a clear, lightweight,
perfectly designed glider (See the picture above). Once the vine’s seedpod is
opened, these seeds are able to travel hundreds of feet, or more, depending on
the wind.
In the early 1900s, inventers such as Igo Etrich and the Horton brothers used
this seed to help create gliders and aircrafts. About 20 years ago, two Japanese
engineers studied this seed and realized its design was absolutely incredible.
In fact, this seeds shape has led to the design of some of our modern day
“flying wing” aircrafts like the stealth bomber.
bpsfuelforthought.wordpress.com/2010/
Flora of Bukit Gemok
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FLORA Bukit Gemok has an extraordinary diversity of the plant life to be found in its forests today. There are flowering plants, orchids and pitcher plants. |
Wild Fruit in Bukit Gemok
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July 30, 2022 11:54:43 PM |
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