Mesilau and Pitcher Plants (Postcards from the Trail)

Mesilau and Pitcher Plants

pitcher plant on kinabalu
Originally uploaded by bluefuton

This is our goal of the trip - pitcher plants of Borneo. The area around Mt. Kinabalu is a great place to see them. We plan to spend some time hiking along the Mesilau Trail which is an alternate trail to the top. There are also several day hike trails that you can do to specifically see the Nepenthes or Pitcher Plants.

Check out the variety of plants that can be seen in the area - Jeremiah Harris's Nephenthes Trip report.

We will have three night at Magic Mountain Country Inn to explore around the area.

Comments (5)

Deborah:

Thanks for the link to Haris's trip report. I'd love to know which of the fruits in the second row/first pic were the ones you talked about yesterday.

Posted by Deborah | February 15, 2009 9:31 AM

Posted on February 15, 2009 09:31

marta:

The fruit that is cut open and in the shape of a kidney is a durian fruit. We have seen these in the market but we have not tried any yet.

In the previous picture with the grouping of fruit - both of the fruits are in the lower left. The purple fruit with the green stem and flower like top is the mangosteen. The skin is thick and similar to a pomagranate skin but a little thicker. Inside are white segments kinda like a tapioca orange. Next to it, the brown fruit is the snake skin fruit. The outside is very scaly and rough. George said he could use it as abrassive. When you peel it, inside are three segments very rubbery and chewy.

Posted by marta | February 16, 2009 1:53 AM

Posted on February 16, 2009 01:53

Palma:

That is SO cool!. Have a great time!

Posted by Palma | February 16, 2009 7:17 AM

Posted on February 16, 2009 07:17

girasoli:

Beautiful and amazing plant. It must be incredible to see these plants in person. Does the leaf on the top of the pitcher ever close shut?

I have seen durian fruit in Hong Kong and also occasionally here in Chinatown. The nickname for this friut is stink fruit. I have always been too chicken to try them because of the smell.

Posted by girasoli | February 16, 2009 3:13 PM

Posted on February 16, 2009 15:13

Kim