Plant conservation in Borneo featured in scientific journal

SANDAKAN (Sept 9): The latest issue of Sandakania Volume 26, a scientific journal dedicated to plant systematics, morphology, and natural history, has been published by the Forest Research Centre of the Sabah Forestry Department, Sandakan.

This volume was made possible through the generous financial support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Malaysia. The online version was released earlier in June 2025.

This special issue focuses on plant conservation in Borneo, bringing together leading research and perspectives on the region’s most iconic plant groups and conservation challenges.

The volume explores the science that drives conservation efforts, the importance of continuous botanical documentation and the progress towards a comprehensive Flora of Borneo.

It also addresses practical aspects of botanical taxonomy, alongside cultural and natural history perspectives that are essential in raising public awareness of Borneo’s unique biodiversity.

The compilation and editorial oversight of this issue were led by Dr Wong Khoon Meng of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, who was instrumental in coordinating contributions and ensuring the scientific rigor of the published papers.

A total of ten scholarly articles are featured in this volume: Dr Wong Khoon Meng and co-authors provide insights into Dipterocarps, Sabah’s plant biodiversity hotspots and the botanical collections of Borneo.

Dr Wong Sin Yeng (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak) discusses the Flora of Borneo. Dr S.K. Ganesan, Sebastian C. Wong, Louise Neo and Chen Junhao (Singapore Botanic Gardens) contribute studies respectively on the durians, orchids, Borneo endemic plant genera and the large genera Annonaceae and Rubiaceae. Dr Peter C. Boyce (University of Florence) describes a new genus and species of Araceae, Huluarum enigmaticum.

Datuk C.L. Chan shares perspectives on natural history publishing and the ideals of conservation.

The production of Sandakania is supported by its editorial committee, chaired by Dr Arthur Y.C. Chung, with John B. Sugau as editor, Dr Joan T. Pereira as assistant editor, and Alviana Damit as layout and copy editor.

The committee under the Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, continues to actively encourage contributions to enrich scientific understanding of the flora of Sabah and Borneo, thereby advancing botanical knowledge and fostering greater appreciation of the region’s remarkable biodiversity.