Biodiversity and Conservation of Flora of Carey Island, Malaysia

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2 Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Floristic surveys were conducted at six sites of Carey Island, Malaysia. From the surveyed sites, 53
species that belong to 48 genera and 30 families had been identified. The common species recorded were
Avicennia alba, A. intermedia, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Ceriops tagal, Nypa fruticans, Rhizophora
apiculata, R. mucronata, Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea, Sonneratia alba, Xylocarpus granatum and X.
moluccensis. However, the dominant pteridophytes were Adiantum flabellulatum, Lygodium salicifolium
and Nephrolepis biserrata. With special interest to mangrove sites, the majority of the identified species
are of economic importance either as a source of food, medicine, wood, ornamentals or for coastal
protection. Xylocarpus species are considered as important endangered mangrove species in Malaysia.
Therefore, propagation of these species through tissue culture, as an approach for conservation, has been
initiated.

Keywords