Tropical Montane Cloud Forest (FMCF) also called High Altitude Tropical Forest or simple Cloud Forest or Fog Forest or Mossy Forest, is characterized by a persistent or seasonal low-level of cloud cover or wind-driven clouds.

1. First created 5 Jun 2013. Version 2.0 - 24 Jan 2021. Jerry Daperro. London.
A Cloud Forest
A walk in a Tropical Forest

2. The green areas show the distribution of the world’s forests
Distribution of world’s Forests

3. Type of Forests
Coniferous Forest
Temperate Forest
Tropical Forest
There are many more types of forest than shown. Tropical Montane Cloud Forests
(TMCF) is a distinctive forest type.
Examples
Rainforest - Amazon Bamboo Forest - Hawaii Taiga Forest - Canada

4. What is a
Tropical Montane Cloud Forest, TMCF
Tropical Montane Cloud Forest (FMCF) also
called High Altitude Tropical Forest or simple
Cloud Forest or Fog Forest or Mossy Forest,
is characterized by a persistent or seasonal
low-level of cloud cover or wind-driven
clouds.
Cloud forests (TMCF) are often covered with
mosses and vegetations. It is a type of
evergreen forest. Typically they are about
1500m to 3000m above sea level.
From the above table 48% of the world’s
TMCF are found in Asia, 35% in Americas
and 17% in Africa.

5. Cameron Tea Plantation
On the way to Gunung Brinchang, we drove into the Cameron Highland and passed a few tea
plantations on the way.

6. A walk in a Tropical Montane
Cloud Forest
A forest is often covered by low drifting clouds

7. We got up in the night and drove to the highest point on the Malaysian Peninsula that can be
reached by road, Gunung Brinchang.
Gunung Brinchang Cloud Forest

8. As the sun rose, we were 2100 m high (6600 feet) surrounded by clouds. The temperature
dropped to a single digit with strong winds.
Sunrise in Cloud

9. A source of high quality water
Clouds were forced up the mountain by the onshore wind. The temperature fell as the
altitude increased. Dews were formed as the clouds made contact with the vegetation. This
is called “cloud stripping”.

10. Up to 50-60% of the moisture in the cloud can be ‘stripped’ away this way.
Cloud stripping.

11. Plants were dripping with water. The forest acts like a sponge, soaking up water and then
released back to the surrounding areas.
high quality water

12. Cloud forests provide a source of clean water for the areas below the mountain, even during
the dry seasons.
A constant source of water

13. The Mossy Forest (TMCF) in Gunung Brinchang is about 200,000 years old. The biodiversity
of the Cloud forests (TMCF) are rich. They rank only after the low altitude Tropical
Rainforests.
Biodiversity of Cloud Forest

14. Low Productivity
It is surprising to learn that Cloud Forests have low productivity. There are no giant hard wood
trees. Instead trees look stunted and their stature reduced to about 10m high, with increased
stem density. All these are signs of slow growth. An ordinary looking tree may take tens if not
a hundred years to grow.

15. Low Productivity
The low productivity and stunted growth of the forest may be due to - water saturated soil,
making it difficult for roots to breathe; poor soil often with underlying rocks; reduced
photosynthesis as the sun is frequently blocked by the clouds; low temperature and strong
wind because of the high altitude; lastly low rate of decomposition and mineralization. The
soil acidity is very high.

16. Epiphytes plants
Cloud forest is very rich in epiphytes, which are plants that grow on another plant or building
or post, but non-parasitical. They take their moisture and nutrients directly from the air.
Examples are mosses, lichens, algae, ferns, orchids and bromeliads.

17. Epiphytes plants
A tree trunk is covered with epiphytic plants. Most Cloud forest plants have smaller, thicker and
harder leaves. Many show a waxy appearance. Coloured leaves, particularly red are common.

18. The pitcher plant is a climbing epiphyte, belonging to the genus of Napenthes. It is a
carnivorous plants. It traps insects into its ‘cup’ of digesting enzyme, which in turn provides
phosphorus and nitrogen for the plant. Like all carnivorous plants, they grow in location where
the soil is poor in minerals and/or too acidic for most plants to survive.
Pitcher Plant

19. Cloud forests are covered with mosses. Another name for Tropical Montane Cloud Forests
(TMCF) is Mossy Forests
Moss

20. Mosses absorb water and nutrients mainly through their leaves. Mosses are the most ancient plant
on land today.
Moss

21. There are some 12000 species of moss today. Each standing plant is a moss, which can either be
a male or female.
Moss

22. These are hypnum moss (cypress-leaved plait-moss). It is a common and widespread species
found in all continents except Antarctica. It is a typically grown on tree trunks, logs, walls and rocks
etc. It prefers an acidic environment. It was formerly used as fillings for pillows and mattresses.
The association with sleep is the origin of the genus name Hypnum (from Greek Hyponos).
Hypnum Moss

23. Close-up on mosses (yellowish). Unidentified plants with green and white leaves with stems,
may not even be mosses.
Moss

24. Moss
On the right is a thick carpet of mosses (possibly Dicranoloma billardiere), with its very slender
long leaves and furry appearance. The purple patch (bottom left) of vegetation is possibly a
species of liverwort.

25. A group of unidentified tiny plants growing along side with mosses (the even smaller plants
on the photo), but with stems supporting leaves, arranged like ferns.
Epiphytes plants

26. Fruits or capsules of an unidentified epiphytic plant amongst mosses, a brown network of
tentacles.
Epiphytes plants

27. Rhododendron
A cluster of pink flower from a rhododendron tree, very different from our garden varieties. In
China, the Big Tree rhododendron (Rhododendron protistum var giganteum) can grow up to 25m.

28. Forest Floor
The forest flood with mosses, ferns and shrubs. The forest floor is very acidic.

29. Wild white orchid flower. Many of the more exotic species of orchid have been dug up and
removed by horticulturists.
Wild Orchid

30. Wild white orchid flowers.
Wild Orchid

31. A bamboo with leaves fluttering in a strong updraught.
Bamboo

32. Red Leaves
It is common to find young red leaves in the forest. Some researchers (P D Coley, TM Aide,
Utah) suggested that red colour in young leaves maybe due to antifungal defence.

33. Epiphytes plants
A group of epiphytic plants with claw-like seed pods, spouting on a carpet of dead mosses on a
healthy old tree.

34. Fern
Some ferns are found on trees but the majority of them are on the forest floor.

35. Flowering Plant
Two unidentified lipstick-like tubular red flowers, with five or six petals and fused at one end, on
a thick green waxy leaves plant.

36. An unidentified plant with small yellow flower-like leaves on a plant with large green, waxy
and thick leaves.
Flowering Plant

37. Unidentified small white flowers. According to one report the largest family of plant in the
Gunung Brinchang Cloud forest belongs to the Rubiaceae family of plants (the coffee family).
Flowering Plant

38. Isolated Ecosystem
Because TMCFs are found on mountain top, they tend to be smaller than the Tropical
Rainforests and are often isolated by altitude from other TMCFs.

39. Endemism
Cloud Forests provide habitat for many rare and unique flowers, birds, monkeys, frogs and
animals. One such species is the Mountain Gorillas of Central Africa. In the Cloud forest at
Gunung Brinchang, it has 9 species that are endemic to Malaysia and 1 species endemic to
Cameron Highlands. This is known as endemism and often associated with TMCF.

40. Locally it is called “Purple Cobra Lily” (Arisaema filiforme). It is a very rare flower. It is not
carnivorous. It can change sex based on nutrition. It belongs to the Aroideae family of plant,
which is structurally different from other flowers, with a hood and a large spadix. We found this
just outside the perimeter of the Cloud Forest by the road side.
Cobra Lily

41. The “Purple Cobra Lily” grows at elevation over 1800m. It is only found in this area in Malaysia.
Species like this is often isolated from others by altitude.
Cobra Lily

42. An overview of the Cameron Highland and the nearly forest covered mountain tops.
Cameron Highland

43. Finally we said goodbye to the Tropical Montane Cloud Forest of Gunung Brinchang,
Malaysia. It is often covered with clouds.
Cloud Forest, Gunung Brinchang

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