FERNS OF MALAYSIA IN COLOUR

• Main Authors: Piggott, Audrey (Author), Piggott, C. J. (Author)
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA TROPICAL PRESS SDN. BHD. 1988
• Subjects: Ferns > Malaysia; Ferns > Pictorial works > Malaysia
• Online Access: Click Here to View Status and Holdings.

 Malaysia is a developing country with an economy based on forest exploitation, plantation agriculture and mining Expansion of these industries has resulted in extensive environmental changes. These began at a leisurely pace in the early part of this century, accelerated during the mid- dle decades, and continue at a rapid rate: today. Vast areas of the natural vegetation, the tropical rain forest, have been cleared. Much of the lowland forest has been felled and replaced by rubber and oil palm plantations. Large areas have been demuded during the extraction of tin ore. Mangrove swamps have been drained. Forests in the hills have been logged. Mountain resorts have expanded and new ones have been developed. Towns and villages are engulfing the surrounding countryside. New roads and highways criss-cross the land and previously almost inaccessible areas can now be reached quite easily. A transformation has taken place and consequently there have been changes in the flora and fauna. The present distribution of the Malay- sian flora reflects the changes that have taken place in the environment. Those plants which grow in shade and high humidity have become less widely distributed and less common as their habitats have been reduced. Plants preferring more open situations with plenty of sunlight have spread and become more common as suitable habitats developed. Ferns are commonly considered to be plants of damp shady places. Many of them are, and their numbers in the peninsula have decreased. But many other ferns are adapted to exposed and less humid situations, and their numbers have increased. It is difficult to indicate the relative abundance or paucity of species. Those growing terrestrially in open places present few problems, but the numbers of those in deep shade in the forest are less easy estimate. Others have stringent requirements, and grow only where all of these are met. Such habitats may occur infrequently but, where they do, the fern is often abundant. Some grow in inaccessible places, such as the crowns of tall trees or high on cliffs, and are rarely seen. Some fern fronds closely resemble the leaves of seed-bearing plants and are not easily. distinguished. A few are so small that they may frequently be overlooked. From time to time species new to Malaysia, or even to botanists, are found. They may have existed in those habitats without being discovered and recognized. They may have been introduced to the country for horticultural purposes and 'escaped', or brought in with agricultural materials, or their appearance, often on mountain summits and passes, may be quite fortuitous, perhaps having developed from spores carried by strong winds or migrating birds. Some 'new' species become naturalized, others survive only briefly. Also, evolution and natural selection are constantly at work. Related species frequently cross, and the hybrids. formed may stabilize and produce fertile progeny. Such new races are from time to time discovered and recognized as new species.