Mount Api ( ms, Gunung Api) is a
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
located in
Gunung Mulu National Park
The Gunung Mulu National Park is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The park is famous for its ca ...
in
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. Neighbouring
Mount Benarat
Mount Benarat ( ms, Gunung Benarat) is a mountain located in Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Malaysia. Consisting of limestone on the western side which is overlain by gritstone on the eastern side. It contains many caves which have been ...
and
Mount Buda are part of the same formation. Mount Api is famous for its striking limestone
karst formations
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
, commonly called "the pinnacles".
[Bourke, G. 2011. The ''Nepenthes'' of Mulu National Park. '']Carniflora Australis
''Carniflora Australis'' was a biannual English-language periodical and the official publication of the Australasian Carnivorous Plant Society.Rice, B. 2010Carnivorous Plant Society Archives The Carnivorous Plant FAQ. rchived page from October 1 ...
'' 8(1): 20–31.
The mountain is host to many
caves
A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
, with passages linking to the massive
Clearwater Cave
The Clearwater Cave System ( ms, Gua Air Jernih) in Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia is believed to be one of the largest interconnected cave systems in the world by volume and the 9th longest cave in the world at (2020). The system l ...
system.
Api Chamber, the second-largest chamber in Malaysia, was discovered on Mount Api during the
Benarat 2005 Caving Expedition.
Mount Api is notable for its
pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are several different carnivorous plants which have modified leaves known as pitfall traps—a prey-trapping mechanism featuring a deep cavity filled with digestive liquid. The traps of what are considered to be "true" pitcher p ...
diversity, which includes at least eight species: ''
Nepenthes campanulata
''Nepenthes'' () is a genus of carnivorous plants, also known as tropical pitcher plants, or monkey cups, in the monotypic family Nepenthaceae. The genus includes about 170 species, and numerous natural and many cultivated hybrids. They are mos ...
'', ''
Nepenthes faizaliana
''Nepenthes faizaliana'' is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the limestone cliffs of Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Borneo. It is thought to be most closely related to '' N. boschiana''.Clarke, C.M. 1997. ''Nepenthes of Borneo''. ...
'', ''
Nepenthes hurrelliana
''Nepenthes hurrelliana'' is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo, where it has been recorded from northern Sarawak, southwestern Sabah, and Brunei. It is of putative hybrid origin; its two original parent species are thought to be '' N ...
'', ''
Nepenthes lowii
''Nepenthes lowii'' , or Low's pitcher-plant,Phillipps, A. & A. Lamb 1996. '' Pitcher-Plants of Borneo''. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is named after Hugh Low, who discov ...
'', ''
Nepenthes muluensis
''Nepenthes muluensis'' , or the Mulu pitcher-plant,Phillipps, A. & A. Lamb 1996. '' Pitcher-Plants of Borneo''. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It grows in highland habitats at ...
'', ''
Nepenthes tentaculata
''Nepenthes tentaculata'' , or the fringed pitcher-plant,Phillipps, A. & A. Lamb 1996. '' Pitcher-Plants of Borneo''. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. is a tropical pitcher plant with a wide distribution across Borneo and ...
'', ''
Nepenthes veitchii
''Nepenthes veitchii'' (; after James Veitch, nurseryman of the Veitch Nurseries), or Veitch's pitcher-plant,Phillipps, A. & A. Lamb 1996. ''Pitcher-Plants of Borneo''. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. is a '' Nepenthes'' sp ...
'', and ''
Nepenthes vogelii
''Nepenthes vogelii'' is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is thought to be most closely related to '' N. fusca''.
Botanical history
The first known collection of ''N. vogelii'' was made in 1961 on Mount Api in Gunung Mul ...
''.
References
{{Coord missing, Malaysia
Api
An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how ...