Tan (second from right) and Chan with the newly-launched book.
KOTA KINABALU: The Natural History Publication (Borneo) has launched a 300-page book entitled ‘A Guide to Begonias of Borneo’, which is the first book ever written about the Begonias of Borneo.
According to publisher and managing director of Natural History Publication (Borneo) Datuk C L Chan at the launching ceremony held at Hyatt Kinabalu near here yesterday, Sabah is home to 194 species of Begonias, most of them being endemic.
The project ‘Begonias of Borneo’ was spearheaded by Tan Jiew Hoe, Board Director of Gardens By The Bay and President of Singapore Gardening Society who, together with Dr Ruth Kiew, Julia Sang, Rimi Repin and Joffre Ali Ahmad worked to ensure the book launch was made possible.
“This enchanting genus of great horticultural interest is popular as garden plants both in the West and the tropics,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tan said that the book described 134 species representing around 70 percent of known Begonia flora.
He also said that all Borneo begonias were endemic and so are found nowhere else in the world.
“Many are found in just one or two localities. They are found mostly in primary forest, they are shade-loving plants and do not survive in secondary forest, thus making them particularly vulnerable to man’s disturbance,” he said.
Tan also said that in the horticultural world, begonias have a good chance of survival.
“Many have striking asymmetric leaves, the hallmark of begonias. The Bornean begonias have a great future as house plants. I see on the internet that they are selling at high prices, I hope the price will come down to a reasonable level if local institutions grow and sell them to supplement their research, just like orchids cultivated in the East,” he said.
He added that there was much documentation to be done and that South East Asia was still at an infancy stage in this regard.
“But we must hurry; we can’t stop any country developing their jungle into plantation or mining, but I would like to plead that they allow scientists to go in the study. The researchers may start nurseries to grow all these delicate plants, mainly begonias, Gesneriads, gingers and many other under-storey plants,” he said.
He added that amongst some of those planted, mankind might find a cure for new diseases, viruses that have yet to emerge to harm humankind.
“We have barely touched on the usefulness of plants,” he stressed.
Also present at the event were the researchers.