Abstract
The herbaceous ground flora was sampled in different habitats of the Batu Apoi Forest Reserve, Brunei, and analysed in more detail in two one-hectare plots on ridge slopes at about 250 m elevation in primary mixed dipterocarp forest. A total of 261 species were recorded, representing 26 families of angiosperms and 14 families of pteridophytes. Most of the species were proto-terrestrials (93%). The largest families of ground herbs in both the Forest Reserve generally and in the sampled plots were the Zingiberaceae and Araceae, although the collective contribution of all fern families is similar or greater. Grasses are not a significant component of ground herbs inside the forest; a major difference compared with results from a similar study in the Amazon. The species richness of vascular herbs was 92 in one plot (total of 6264 individuals with 191 m2 cover) and 68 in the other plot (total of 2479 individuals with 72 m2 cover). It is suggested that the rugged landscape and the dynamics of landslides may be important factors for the high species richness of ground herbs in the area.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Literature Cited
ASHTON, P. S. 1964. Ecological studies in the mixed Dipterocarp forests of Brunei State. Oxford Forestry Memoirs 25:1–75.
BRUMMITT, R. K & POWELL, CE. (eds) 1992. Authors of plant names. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
BURTT, B. L. 1977. Notes on rain-forest herbs. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 29: 73–80.
DING, HOU. 1984. Aristolochiaceae. Pp. 53–108 in Flora Malesiana, Ser. 1, Vol. 10.
GENTRY, A. 1982. Neotropical floristic diversity: phytogeographical connections between Central and South America, pleistocene climatic fluctuations, or an accident of the Andean orogeny?. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 69:557–593.
GENTRY, A. & DODSON, C. 1987. Contribution of non-trees to the species richness of a tropical rain forest. Biotropica 19:149–156.
KIEW, R. 1978. Floristic components of the ground flora of a tropical lowland rain forest at Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak. Pertanika 1:112–119.
KIEW, R. 1987. The herbaceous flora of the Ulu Endau, Johore-Pahang, Malaysia, including taxonomic notes and descriptions of new species. Malayan Nature Journal 41:201–234.
KIEW, R. 1988. Herbaceous flowering plants. Pp. 56–76 in Cranbrook, Earl of (ed.). Malaysia, key environments. Pergamon Press, Oxford.
LINCOLN, R. J., BOXSHALL, G. A. & CLARK, P. F. 1982. A dictionary of ecology, evolution and systematics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
POULSEN, A. D. & BALSLEV, H. 1991. Abundance and cover of ground herbs in an Amazonian rain forest. Journal of Vegetation Science 2:315–322.
RICHARDS, P. W. 1952. The tropical rain forest. Cambridge university Press, England.
RAUNKIAER, C. 1934. The life-forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Oxford University Press, London.
SHMIDA, A. & WILSON, M. V. 1985. Biological determinants of species diversity in temperate and tropical forests. American Naturalist 126:760–776.
SMITH, A. P. 1987. Respustas de hierbas del sotobosque tropical a claros ocasiondos por la caída de árboles. Revista de Biologia Tropical 35 (Supl. 1): 111–118.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Poulsen, A.D. (1996). The herbaceous ground flora of the Batu Apoi Forest Reserve, Brunei Darussalam. In: Edwards, D.S., Booth, W.E., Choy, S.C. (eds) Tropical Rainforest Research — Current Issues. Monographiae Biologicae, vol 74. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1685-2_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1685-2_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7255-7
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1685-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive