Mesilau
Encyclopedia
Mesilau, named after Mesilau River, is an area situated at approximately 2000 m above sea level on the East Ridge of Mount Kinabalu
in Kinabalu National Park
, Sabah
, Malaysian Borneo. It is the site of the Mesilau Nature Resort, which is owned and operated by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. Mesilau is home to the only population of Nepenthes rajah
pitcher plants accessible to regular visitors. The plants grow on a steep hillside overlooking Mesilau East River. A number of other species, including N. burbidgeae
, N. fusca
, and N. macrovulgaris
, have been transplanted there from the area around the Mesilau Nature Resort on Pinosok Plateau. A single example of the rare natural hybrid N. lowii
× N. rajah
also grows nearby. Daily guided tours are organised to the "Nepenthes Garden" where these plants are found. This nature trail is subject to a fee and operates daily from 9 am to 4 pm.
Mesilau East River and Mesilau West River pass through the Mesilau area. Mesilau East River forms a deep ravine
, and Mesilau Cave is located nearby.
One of the two main summit routes of Mount Kinabalu starts at the Mesilau Nature Resort and is called the Mesilau Trail. The Mesilau Trail meets the old Kinabalu Summit Trail just above Layang-Layang (Dusun
for Place of Swallows), which is situated at approximately 2700 m.
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu is a prominent mountain on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is located in the East Malaysian state of Sabah and is protected as Kinabalu National Park, a World Heritage Site. Kinabalu is the tallest peak in Borneo's Crocker Range and is the tallest mountain in the Malay...
in Kinabalu National Park
Kinabalu National Park
Kinabalu National Park or Taman Negara Kinabalu in Malay, established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in December 2000 for its "outstanding universal values" and the role as one of the most important biological...
, Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
, Malaysian Borneo. It is the site of the Mesilau Nature Resort, which is owned and operated by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. Mesilau is home to the only population of Nepenthes rajah
Nepenthes rajah
Nepenthes rajah is an insectivorous pitcher plant species of the Nepenthaceae family. It is endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Nepenthes rajah grows exclusively on serpentine substrates, particularly in areas of seeping ground water where the...
pitcher plants accessible to regular visitors. The plants grow on a steep hillside overlooking Mesilau East River. A number of other species, including N. burbidgeae
Nepenthes burbidgeae
Nepenthes burbidgeae , also known as the painted pitcher plant or Burbidge's Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant with a patchy distribution around Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah, Borneo.-Botanical history:...
, N. fusca
Nepenthes fusca
Nepenthes fusca , or the Dusky Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is found throughout a wide altitudinal range and is almost always epiphytic in nature, primarily growing in mossy forest....
, and N. macrovulgaris
Nepenthes macrovulgaris
Nepenthes macrovulgaris , or the Serpentine Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is a lowland plant that typically grows at altitudes ranging from 300 to 1200 m in sub-montane forest clearings and mossy forest...
, have been transplanted there from the area around the Mesilau Nature Resort on Pinosok Plateau. A single example of the rare natural hybrid N. lowii
Nepenthes lowii
Nepenthes lowii , or Low's Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is named after Hugh Low, who discovered it on Mount Kinabalu...
× N. rajah
Nepenthes rajah
Nepenthes rajah is an insectivorous pitcher plant species of the Nepenthaceae family. It is endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Nepenthes rajah grows exclusively on serpentine substrates, particularly in areas of seeping ground water where the...
also grows nearby. Daily guided tours are organised to the "Nepenthes Garden" where these plants are found. This nature trail is subject to a fee and operates daily from 9 am to 4 pm.
Mesilau East River and Mesilau West River pass through the Mesilau area. Mesilau East River forms a deep ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
, and Mesilau Cave is located nearby.
One of the two main summit routes of Mount Kinabalu starts at the Mesilau Nature Resort and is called the Mesilau Trail. The Mesilau Trail meets the old Kinabalu Summit Trail just above Layang-Layang (Dusun
Dusun
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Due to similarities in culture and language with the Kadazan ethnic group, a new unified term called "Kadazan-Dusun" was created. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group...
for Place of Swallows), which is situated at approximately 2700 m.