Wild about palms

Umbrella palm: The leaves of the Johannesteijsmannia magnifica tower over botanist and palm expert Dr Saw Leng Guan. The species is found only in the primary forests of Selangor, Perak and Negri Sembilan.

Delve into the world of palms and it is difficult not to be fascinated.

THERE is a garden of palms growing deep within the confines of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (Frim) in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur. In this sanctuary for plants, palm trees of varied forms and sizes can be seen. There are palms which soar high above, some with leaves big enough to shield one from the sun and rain, some which climb and coil themselves around other trees, and some which are just a mass of longish leaves emerging from the ground.