SANDAKAN: The Forest Research Centre of the Sabah Forestry Department has announced the publication of SANDAKANIA Volume 25, a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to plant systematics, morphology, and natural history.
Supported by Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), the volume features groundbreaking research on Sabah’s biodiversity, with its online edition released in December 2024.
In this latest volume, four scientific papers were contributed by botanists and one write-up in memory of the late Datuk Anthony Lamb. The first paper features the discovery of two new species of tropical blueberry from central Sabah, by researchers from the United States in collaboration with Dr Joan Pereira of Sabah Forestry Department.
The second paper highlights the new locality records for the rare and Sabah’s endemic Rafflesia Tengku-Adlinii, by John Sugau and Alviana Damit. A provisional checklist on seed plant diversity and its conservation status in Mount Sinsing of the Trusmadi Range in Tambunan, Sabah, was provided by Jonathan Lucas and researchers from Sabah Forestry Department. Mount Sinsing is the 3rd highest mountain in Malaysia.
Andi Maryani together with other researchers from Sabah Forestry Department and Universiti Malaysia Sabah focused on ferns and lycophytes of Mount Sinsing.
The last paper was a write-up by Datuk C.L. Chan to remember the late Datuk Anthony Lamb, who contributed significantly to botany and nature in Sabah.
The journal’s editorial committee, chaired by Dr. Arthur Chung, includes John B. Sugau (Editor), Dr. Joan T. Pereira (Assistant Editor), and Alviana Damit (Layout and Copy Editor). Advisers from institutions such as Singapore Botanic Garden and Western Michigan University ensure rigorous academic standards.
Datuk Frederick Kugan, Chief Conservator of Forests, emphasized SANDAKANIA’s role in advancing scientific understanding of Borneo’s flora: “This journal remains vital for documenting Sabah’s rich biodiversity and guiding conservation strategies.”
As a cornerstone of botanical research in Southeast Asia, SANDAKANIA continues to foster global appreciation for Borneo’s ecosystems. The print edition is now available, complementing the December 2024 online release.
For more information or to access Volume 25, visit the Sabah Forestry Department’s official portal. – James Leong
