Ruth Kiew

• Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)

Chionanthus is the largest genus of Oleaceae in New Guinea and, of its 17 species on the island, eight are new species described and illustrated here. Its high level of endemism, 70% (12 species), is typical of the New Guinea flora. Most of these new species are restricted to Papua New Guinea but this is likely to be an artefact of lower collecting...

Summary. The flora of limestone karsts is exceptionally rich, due in particular to the wide array of microhabitats that limestone outcrops support. However, in Peninsular Malaysia limestone outcrops are heavily exploited for the quarry industry, cave temples, leisure venues and the development of geoparks, hence the limestone flora is amongst the m...

Didymoplexis flexipes is reported as a new orchid record for Peninsular Malaysia.

Begonia is the world's fastest-growing genus and a focus of intense taxonomic research. To support this, a stable and useful sectional classification is needed. This paper reviews the feasibility and challenges of creating an infrageneric classification for Begonia based on phylogenetic data, and how to overcome phylogenetic and taxonomic conflict....

Pseuderanthemum lilacinum Stapf is known from a single specimen collected in 1909 from Batu Caves, a karst limestone hill in Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. Ridley had drawn attention to similarities between it and P. teijsmanni (C.B.Clarke) Stapf, which grows in lowland forest in Peninsular Malaysia. Examination of a range of specimens shows this c...

A checklist of all species of bryophytes, lycophytes, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms that are found in the wild (native, naturalised and casual) in Singapore is presented. We have attempted to account for all names of species and infraspecific taxa that have ever been recorded for Singapore, along with the pertinent publications that reported e...

In Peninsular Malaysia, Coleus is represented by five species. Two, C. hairulii Kiew and C. rafidahiae Kiew, are new species. Both are narrowly endemic and restricted to limestone hills as is C. kunstleri (Prain) A.J.Paton. All three are Critically Endangered. Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth., although widespread, is probably not indigenous. It i...

Malaysia Red List: Plant of Peninsular Malaysia, Vol. 1 listed 1,353 taxa from 90 families, 308 genera comprising 1293 indigenous taxa and 60 non-indigenous taxa from Peninsular Malaysia. This publication consists of two parts; Part I contains the introduction, summary and analysis of the conservation status of all assessed taxa, recommendations an...

Batu Caves hill is typical of karst hills in Peninsular Malaysia due to its small size and high biodiversity. It harbours 366 vascular plant species that represent about 25% of the Peninsula’s limestone flora. Five species are endemic to Batu Caves and 23 are threatened species. This high biodiversity is the result of many microhabitats, each with...

The Klang Gates Quartz Ridge (KGQR) is proposed for protection as National Heritage and as a UN-ESCO World Heritage Site because of its spectacular size, exceptional beauty and significant biodiversity. The checklist of vascular plants documents 314 species that comprise a unique combination that grows on lowland quartz and that is distinct from th...

This book is written in the hope that it may help visitors gain a deeper appreciation of the Batu Caves, and all the intrinsic values it holds. Ultimately the wish is that this deeper appreciation will translate into the kind of actions needed to conserve and sustainably manage the Batu Caves and subsequently, other karst towers throughout Peninsul...

New Guinea is the world’s largest tropical island and has fascinated naturalists for centuries. Home to some of the best-preserved ecosystems on the planet and to intact ecological gradients—from mangroves to tropical alpine grasslands—that are unmatched in the Asia-Pacific region, it is a globally recognized centre of biological and cultural diver...

The species of Jasminum Tourn. ex L. (Oleaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia are revised. Eighteen species are recognised, of which eight are endemic. Five of these species have been recorded from Singapore. A key to species is provided, all names are typified, and all species are described. Conservation assessments are given for all species in Peninsula...

Premise: Unique among vascular plants, some species of Selaginella have single giant chloroplasts in their epidermal or upper mesophyll cells (monoplastidy, M), varying in structure between species. Structural variants include several forms of bizonoplast with unique dimorphic ultrastructure. Better understanding of these structural variants, thei...

Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Timor Leste, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea) is a region of high plant diversity with an estimated 50,000 flowering plant species. Estimates of plant diversity in the region continue to grow as large numbers of new species are descri...

Four phytogeographical provinces have been recognised in Peninsular Malaysia — the Northern Province, the Perak Province, the Continental Intrusion and the Riau Pocket. The Riau Pocket, originally spelt Riouw, was restricted to SE Johor, Singapore, Banka, Riau Islands, SE Sumatra and NW Borneo but later was expanded to cover the entire east coast o...

Of the 92 Codonoboea species that occur in Peninsular Malaysia, 20 are recorded from the state of Terengganu, of which 9 are endemic to Terengganu including three new species, C. norakhirrudiniana Kiew, C. rheophytica Kiew and C. sallehuddiniana C.L.Lim, that are here described and illustrated. A key and checklist to all the Terengganu species are...

The author of the naturally occuring hybrid Nepenthes x hookeriana is usually given as “Lindl.” (Lindley in Gard. Chron. 1848: 87. 5 Feb 1848), less commonly as “H. Low” (Low, Sarawak: 68. 29 Dec 1847–14 Jan 1848), but sometimes as “Hort. Veitch ex Mast.” (e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes_%C3%97_hookeriana) or as “(Lindl.) Macfarl.” (K...

The genus Senyumia was previously known from a single species, S.minutiflora (Ridl.) Kiew, A.Weber & B.L.Burtt, from a limestone karst, Gunung Senyum, in Pahang, Malaysia. Senyumiagranitica Kiew, here described and illustrated, is the second species of the genus. It differs from S.minutiflora , not only in its habitat, but also in its shorter leave...

Six species of Begonia are recorded from Gunung Penrissen in Padawan District, Sarawak, Malaysia including two new species (Begonia minutitepala and Begonia dasycaulis in Sect. Petermannia) and one new subspecies (Begonia natunaensis subsp. sarawakensis in Sect. Jackia). Detailed illustrated descriptions of the new taxa are provided together with a...

An account of the twenty Begonia species from the Gunung Mulu and Gunung Buda National Parks is presented with illustrated descriptions of five new species (Begonia argentii, B. jokwaniana, B. lansatensis, B. muluensis and B. vulgarioides) and one new record (Begonia chlorocarpa Irmsch. ex Sands). A key for their identification is provided.

Begonia is a pan-tropical, mega-diverse genus of economic value as ornamental and medicinal plants. As the fifth largest genus in the angiosperms, Begonia has a huge diversity with over 1,900 known species, which are mainly distributed in the tropical regions of Asia, America and Africa. The size and distribution of the genus gives it the potential...

Begoniayenyeniae is a new species of horticultural value known only from the Endau Rompin National Park, Peninsular Malaysia. It is similar to Begoniarajah with which it had previously been confused in the number of tepals and leaf characters. The new species is compared with three similar species, B.foxworthyi, B.rajah and B.reginula and photograp...

List of taxa with accession and location information for the 48 samples of Begonia included in the Bayesian analysis using ndhF-rpl32 intergenic spacer sequences

The need to exploit limestone products for national development impacts on the conservation of rare and endangered limestone species. To minimise this impact it is necessary to identify which of the 570 limestone outcrops have high conservation importance and whether they have narrowly endemic and/or endangered limestone species. In the absence of...

Vaticanajibiana Ummul-Nazrah (Dipterocarpaceae), from the Relai Forest Reserve, Gua Musang, Kelantan and Gua Tanggang, Merapoh, Pahang, is described and illustrated. This species is Endangered and known from small populations restricted to two isolated karst limestone hills. The type locality, Relai Forest Reserve limestone, is currently under thre...

The pantropical genus Begonia is the sixth-largest genus of flowering plants, including 1870 species. The sections of Begonia are used frequently as analogues to genera in other families but, despite their taxonomic utility, few of the current sections have been examined in the light of molecular phylogenetic analyses. We present herein the largest...

Two new species, Phlegmariurusiminii Kiew (Lycopodiaceae) from limestone karst and P.monticola Kiew from montane habitats, are described from Peninsular Malaysia and a new combination is made for Phlegmariuruspinifolius (Trevis.) Kiew. Phlegmariurusiminii , known from a single hill threatened by quarrying, is Critically Endangered; while P.monticol...

A new species of Asplenium is described from two collections made on limestone hills in Peninsular Malaysia. Conspicuous by its extremely narrow pinnae, it is probably allied to A. salignum but differs in sufficient characters (scale size, size and shape of lamina, venation and sorus length, position and orientation) to be a species in its own righ...

Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, the oldest forest reserve in Malaysia established in 1900, lies in the center of Kuala Lumpur, the capital city. Over time it has been reduced from 17.5 ha to 9.37 ha but still retains important biodiversity. Its lowland equatorial rain forest has never been logged and tall emergent species to 35 m tall and 124 cm diamet...

Limestone

Two new species from the Peninsular Region of Thailand, Jasminum peninsulare Kiew from Ranong, Phangnga, and Pattani Provinces and J. ranongense Kiew from Ranong Province, are described and illustrated. Previously, they had both been confused with J. kedahense (King & Gamble) Ridl. from Malaysia and included under this name in the Flora of Thailand...

Field surveys for the ‘Forest Trees of Southern Thailand’ project resulted in two new Chionanthus species, C. gardneriorum Kiew from Trang Province and C. pyriformis Kiew from Phangnga and Ranong Provinces. The new species are described and illustrated and a key to Chionanthus species in southern Thailand is provided.

Six new species of Begonia, Begonia armykapii S.Julia & C.Y.Ling, Begonia baikoides S.Julia & C.Y.Ling, Begonia papulifolia S.Julia & C.Y.Ling, Begonia rubrobracteolata S.Julia & C.Y.Ling, Begonia tinjanii S.Julia and Begonia triangularis Kiew & C.Y.Ling, are described from the forest areas in central part of Sarawak. All species belong to the sect...

Nine Begonia species are recorded from the Batang Ai National Park and the forest area adjacent to the Park. Of these, six species are described here as new (Begonia acidulenta, Begonia bayae, Begonia compacta, Begonia edgariana, Begonia jenginensis and Begonia tebiang). All species belong to section Petermannia. A key to the new species and three...

KIEW, R. 2015. Chionanthus (Oleaceae) in Sulawesi, Indonesia, including three new species. Reinwardtia 14(2): 287 - 295. - The genus Chionanthus (Oleaceae) in Sulawesi is revised. Nine species are described of which C. kostermansii Kiew, C. sordidus Kiew and C. sulawesicus Kiew are new species. Four species are endemic, C. celebicus Koord., C. sord...

Field surveys for the 'Forest Trees of Southern Thailand' project resulted in two new Chionanthus species, C. gardneriorum Kiew from Trang Province and C. pyriformis Kiew from Phangnga and Ranong Provinces. The new species are described and illustrated and a key to Chionanthus species in southern Thailand is provided.

Under natural conditions, wind is the most effective mode of dispersal and this is illustrated by the spread of the tropical American weed, Chromolaena odorata (Compositae). In the older literature this species was called pokok German (German weed) because it was first noticed during World War I or ‘Siam weed’ because it first appeared in the north...

Monophyllaea R.Br. is one of the most interesting and peculiar genera of Gesneriaceae (the African violet family) because it bears only a single large leaf. In Peninsular Malaysia, six species and two varieties of Monophyllaea are reported of which five are locally endemic and restricted to limestone. Three are narrow endemics distributed to one to...

Eleven new species of Begonia (Begonia alabensis, B. bintang, B. bosuangiana, B. crockerensis B. doloisii, B. flammea, B. inobongensis, B. kinahimiae, B. kipandiensis, B. rambutan and B. tomaniensis) are described from the Crocker Range, Sabah. Nine species belong to sect. Petermannia and one, B. doloisii, belongs to sect. Baryandra while the secti...

Bothriospermum zeylanicum (J.Jacq.) Druce (Boraginaceae), a species native to Asia, has recently become naturalised in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. A description of the genus and species together with colour photographs are provided. It is the only representative of Boraginaceae sensu stricto (i.e. subfam. Boraginoideae) in Peninsular Malay...

A total of 126 species are currently named and described from Borneo (Brunei - 16 species, Kalimantan – 5 species, Sabah – 41 species and Sarawak – 72 species). However, based on our survey of the begonia collection in the Sarawak Herbarium, the un-named taxa (about 110 species) significantly outnumber the 72-named species. The situation is probabl...

The vascular plant flora of Batu Caves, a tower karst limestone formation, includes 269 species; 51 species (19%) are Peninsular Malaysian endemics and 80 species (30%) are calciphiles of which 56 (21%) are obligate calciphiles and 26 species are obligate calciphiles endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. Four taxa are endemic to Batu Caves itself. That B...

Gunung Kanthan, an isolated tower karst, was identified in 1991 as one of the four most important karsts in Perak for conservation. Currently the southern part is under threat from quarrying. The plant checklist records 223 species representing about 34% of mosses and 16.2% of vascular plants that grow on limestone in Peninsular Malaysia. Of these,...

LIM, C. L. & KIEW, R. 2014. Codonoboea (Gesneriaceae) Sections in Peninsular Malaysia. Reinwardtia 14(1): 13 – 17. — Codonoboea is the largest genus of Gesneriaceae in Peninsular Malaysia with 92 species. Nine sections, Boeopsis, Codonoboea, Didymanthus, Glossadenia, Heteroboea, Pectinati, Reptantes, Salicini and Venusti, have been erected based on...

Three new species, Gymnostachyum kanthanense Kiew (Acanthaceae), Meiogyne kanthanensis Ummul-Nazrah & J.P.C. Tan (Annonaceae) and Vatica kanthanensis Saw (Dipterocarpaceae), from Gunung Kanthan, Perak, are described and illustrated. All three are Critically Endangered CR B2ab (iii, iv), D1 being known from very small, restricted populations at the...

The picturesque limestone karsts across the Sino-Vietnamese border are renowned biodiversity hotspot, distinguished for extremely high endemism of calciphilous plants restricted to caves and cave-like microhabitats that have functioned as biological refugia on the otherwise harsh habitats. To understand evolutionary mechanisms underlying the splend...

The genera Gardneria and Spigelia with the discovery of G. ovata from Fraser’s Hill, Pahang, and the tropical American weed, S. anthelmia from Selangor, respectively, are new records for the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia. A full description and taxonomic notes for G. ovata and S. anthelmia in Peninsular Malaysia are presented, and the conservation s...

Two new species, Monophyllaea grandifolia Kiew & S.Julia and Monophyllaea meriraiensis Kiew & S.Julia are described from limestone hills in Ulu Merirai, Tatau District, Sarawak. Descriptions and photographs of the two species are provided.

A new species of Codonoboea from Gunung Stong, Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia, is described and illustrated.

In revising the distribution and conservation status of Jasminum in Thailand, a new species, Jasminum bhumibolianum Chalermglin, was discovered in NE Thailand. It is described and illustrated and its conservation status is assessed as Critically Endangered.

Ridleyandra chuana, a new species of Gesneriaceae, is described and illustrated. It is endemic in Peninsular Malaysia and known from two small and restricted populations in montane forest. Its conservation status is assessed as vulnerable.

Information on the distribution and conservation status of Erycibe species in Peninsular Malaysia is important for the management and conservation plan of these threatened taxa. There are 19 Erycibe taxa in Peninsular Malaysia. Currently, 17 taxa have scientific names but 2 are new and labelled as Erycibe sp. A and Erycibe sp. B. In this study, the...

Besides Begonia conipila, 13 new species (Begonia apiensis, B. benaratensis, B. conniegeriae, B. divergens, B. lucychongiana, B. magentifolia, B. melinauensis, B. ramosissima, B. rhodoneura, B. umbratica, B. vulgare, B. yiii and B. xiphophylloides) and a putative natural hybrid between B. conipila and B. lucychongiana are described from the Melinau...

Conservation status of 86 of the 949 orchid species recorded for Peninsular Malaysia is assessed using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria 3.1. For taxa of Cleisostoma, Corybus, Dipodium, Paphiopedilum and subfamily Apostasioideae, 29 species fall within threatened categories, of which 10 are Critically Endangered. Forty-four fall within the...

Codonoboea personatiflora Kiew & Y.Y.Sam, sp. nov., is described from lowland forest in the foothills in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. It is unique in the genus in its personate flower. Its conservation status falls within the IUCN Endangered category.

A new species of Loxocarpus (Gesneriaceae) from Gunung Stong, Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia, is described and illustrated.

A key is provided for the three Paraboea species in Sabah, Borneo. Paraboea punggulensis Kiew is described as a new species and P. madaiensis Xu & B.L.Burtt is reduced to synonomy under P. sabahensis Xu & B.L.Burtt.

The polyphyletic genus Chirita is remodelled after an extensive molecular phylogenetic study of species assigned to it and to other associated genera. Most of Chirita sect. Chirita and the monotypic Hemiboeopsis are amalgamated with Henckelia sect. Henckelia, resulting in a very differently circumscribed genus Henckelia and the synonymisation of Ch...

The anomalous Chirita elata proves to belong to Codonoboea (Gesneriaceae), necessitating the new combination Codonoboea elata.