Recently, we were fortunate to visit one of these virgin Cloud forest in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Most of the photos for Powerpoint were taken during our visit. The climate there is so wet that most of the surfaces were covered with mosses. The places is dripping with water. One surprising thing was that because it is so high up there were no mosquitoes and I did not see any insects either. There were nothing crawling about. But the experience is really worthwhile. They built a walkway for the visitors, so we are always above the forest floor. It also allowed us to walk amongst the ‘canopy’ of the forest. One cannot but impressed with the diversity of plant life there. On a single tree trunk can harbour many species of plants. It is a profusion of plant life, rather chaotic, tangled and overwhelming.

1. First created 5 Jun 2013. Version 1.0 - 10 Jun 2013. Jerry Tse. London.
A Cloud Forest
A walk in a Tropical Forest

2. The green areas show the distribution of the world’s forests
Distribution of world’s Forests

3. Type of Forests
Coniferous ForestTemperate ForestTropical Forest
There are many more types of forest than shown. Tropical Montane Cloud Forests (TMCF) is a distinctive forest type.
Examples
Rainforest - Amazon Bamboo Forest - Hawaii Taiga Forest - Canada

4. What is a
Tropical Montane Cloud Forest, TMCF
Tropical Montane Cloud Forest (FMCF) also called High
Altitude Tropical Forest or simple Cloud Forest or Fog Forest
or Mossy Forest, is characterized by a persistent or seasonal
low-level of cloud cover or wind-driven clouds.
Cloud forests (TMCF) are often covered with mosses and
vegetations. It is a type of evergreen forest. Typically they
are about 1500m to 3000m above sea level.
From the above table 48% of the world’s TMCF are found in
Asia, 35% in Americas and 17% in Africa.

5. A walk in a Tropical
Montane Cloud Forest
A forest is often covered by low drifting clouds

6. We got up in the night and drove to the highest point on the Malaysian Peninsula that can be reached by road, Gunung Brinchang.
Gunung Brinchang

7. As the sun rose, we were 2100 m high (6600 feet) surrounded by clouds. The temperature dropped to a single digit with strong
winds.
Sunrise in Cloud

8. A source of high quality water
Clouds were forced up the mountain by the onshore wind. The temperature fell as the altitude increased. Dews were formed
as the clouds made contact with the vegetation. This is called “cloud stripping”.

9. Up to 50-60% of the moisture in the cloud can be ‘stripped’ away this way.
Cloud stripping.

10. Plants were dripping with water. The forest acts like a sponge, soaking up water and then released back to the surrounding
areas.
high quality water

11. Cloud forests provide a source of clean water for the areas below the mountain, even during the dry seasons.
A constant source of water

12. The Mossy Forest (TMCF) in Gunung Brinchang is about 200,000 years old. The biodiversity of the Cloud forests (TMCF) are
rich. They rank only after the low altitude Tropical Rainforests.
Biodiversity of Cloud Forest

13. Low Productivity
It is surprising to learn that Cloud Forests have low productivity. There are no giant hard wood trees. Instead trees look stunted
and their stature reduced to about 10m high, with increased stem density. All these are signs of slow growth. An ordinary
looking tree may take tens if not a hundred years to grow.

14. Low Productivity
The low productivity and stunted growth of the forest may be due to - water saturated soil, making it difficult for roots to
breathe; poor soil often with underlying rocks; reduced photosynthesis as the sun is frequently blocked by the clouds; low
temperature and strong wind because of the high altitude; lastly low rate of decomposition and mineralization. The soil
acidity is very high.

15. Epiphytes plants
Cloud forest is very rich in epiphytes, which are plants that grow on another plant or building or post, but non-parasitical.
They take their moisture and nutrients directly from the air. Examples are mosses, lichens, algae, ferns, orchids and
bromeliads.

16. Epiphytes plants
A tree trunk is covered with epiphytic plants. Most Cloud forest plants have smaller, thicker and harder leaves. Many show a waxy
appearance. Coloured leaves, particularly red are common.

17. The pitcher plant is a climbing epiphyte, belonging to the genus of Napenthes. It is a carnivorous plants. It traps insects into
its ‘cup’ of digesting enzyme, which in turn provides phosphorus and nitrogen for the plant. Like all carnivorous plants, they
grow in location where the soil is poor in minerals and/or too acidic for most plants to survive.
Pitcher Plant

18. Cloud forests are covered with mosses. Another name for Tropical Montane Cloud Forests (TMCF) is Mossy Forests
Moss

19. Mosses absorb water and nutrients mainly through their leaves. Mosses are the most ancient plant on land today.
Moss

20. There are some 12000 species of moss today. Each standing plant is a moss, which can either be a male or female.
Moss

21. Close-up on mosses. These are hypnum moss (cypress-leaved plait-moss). It is a common and widespread species found in all
continents except Antarctica. It is a typically grown on tree trunks, logs, walls and rocks etc. It prefers an acidic environment. It was
formerly used as fillings for pillows and mattresses. The association with sleep is the origin of the genus name Hypnum (from Greek
Hyponos).
Hypnum Moss

22. Close-up on mosses (yellowish). Unidentified plants with green and white leaves with stems, may not even be mosses.
Moss

23. Moss
On the right is a thick carpet of mosses (possibly Dicranoloma billardiere), with its very slender long leaves and furry appearance.
The purple patch (bottom left) of vegetation is possibly a species of liverwort.

24. A group of unidentified tiny plants growing along side with mosses (the even smaller plants on the photo), but with stems
supporting leaves, arranged like ferns.
Epiphytes plants

25. Fruits or capsules of an unidentified epiphytic plant amongst mosses, a brown network of tentacles.
Epiphytes plants

26. Rhododendron
A cluster of pink flower from a rhododendron tree, very different from our garden varieties. In China, the Big Tree
rhododendron (Rhododendron protistum var giganteum) can grow up to 25m.

27. Forest Floor
The forest flood with mosses, ferns and shrubs. The forest floor is very acidic.

28. Wild white orchid flower. Many of the more exotic species of orchid have been dug up and removed by horticulturists.
Wild Orchid

29. Wild white orchid flowers.
Wild Orchid

30. A bamboo with leaves fluttering in a strong updraght.
Bamboo

31. Red Leaves
It is common to find young red leaves in the forest. Some researchers (P D Coley, TM Aide, Utah) suggested that red colour
in young leaves maybe due to antifungal defence.

32. Epiphytes plants
A group of epiphytic plants with claw-like seed pods, spouting on a carpet of dead mosses on a healthy old tree.

33. Fern
Some ferns are found on trees but the majority of them are on the forest floor.

34. Flowering Plant
Two unidentified lipstick-like tubular red flowers, with five or six petals and fused at one end, on a thick green waxy leaves plant.

35. An unidentified plant with small yellow flower-like leaves on a plant with large green, waxy and thick leaves.
Flowering Plant

36. Unidentified small white flowers. According to one report the largest family of plant in the Gunung Brinchang Cloud forest
belongs to the Rubiaceae family of plants (the coffee family).
Flowering Plant

37. Isolated Ecosystem
Because TMCFs are found on mountain top, they tend to be smaller than the Tropical Rainforests and are often isolated by
altitude from other TMCFs.

38. Endemism
Cloud Forests provide habitat for many rare and unique flowers, birds, monkeys, frogs and animals. One such species is the
Mountain Gorillas of Central Africa. In the Cloud forest at Gunung Brinchang, it has 9 species that are endemic to Malaysia and 1
species endemic to Cameron Highlands. This is known as endemism and often associated with TMCF.

39. Locally it is called “Purple Cobra Lily” (Arisaema filiforme). It is a very rare flower. It is not carnivorous. It can change sex based
on nutrition. It belongs to the Aroideae family of plant, which is structurally different from other flowers, with a hood and a large
spadix. We found this just outside the perimeter of the Cloud Forest by the road side.
Cobra Lily

40. The “Purple Cobra Lily” grows at elevation over 1800m. It is only found in this area in Malaysia. Species like this is often isolated
from others by altitude.
Cobra Lily

41. Finally we said goodbye to the Tropical Montane Cloud Forest of Gunung Brinchang, Malaysia. It is often covered with clouds.
Cloud Forest, Gunung Brinchang

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The End
Music – Enya. Calm Winds.