Chironex

I echo everyones sentiments about these bananas. Your description and photos are some of the most interesting on the site right now. This is one of the main reasons I joined the site.
Get these bad boys growing so that we can all enjoy them, Tog. I suggest that your work also be placed in the Wiki. There is no better source for these relatively unknown species. If I lived there, the nursery would be the size of 10 soccer fields!
Thanks for the insight and descriptions, photos and humor.
Keep up the good work.

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Scot

dablo93

this are some awesome pics! thank yu!

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Tog Tan

Don't you think it's BIG? It was in a creek and I am on the top of the drop.


Hey people, just an update on what I found today, 15.02.09 Sunday.

This is the huge-est (if there's such a word) Muther of an M-v clump I have seen so far. I was looking for a certain Musa species (story coming soon folks!) in this area and I came across quite a number of M-v clumps. There were a number of big clumps, but they just can't beat this one, so I gotta to show y'all. I didn't even bother to count the number of plants in it. When I went down the creek to get a closer look, I saw more than 10 flower buds all blooming more or less at the same time. The color of the bud is above average. Whew...!!!

For the M-v, you have to get real close to see the flower buds cos they are hidden by the heavy growth of the leaves. There were more than 10 flowers buds here.

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Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

Michael_Andrew

Unbelievable! Awesome! Fantastic! Thanks TT!

Bob

What a clump!! I guess they like water. Thanks for posting pic.

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buzzwinder

Thats HUGE, and all those blooms at same time, GREAT pic Tog, Thanks!

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Bill for my friend

Mark Hall

Tog, You certainly find some exciting plants on your trips. Don't you ever get lost?

I love your trips into the jungle . Keep them coming ( with pictures please)

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Time Flies like an Arrow.....Fruit flies like a Banana.

Tog Tan

Hi Mark,

Getting lost in the jungle? An old timer, an old hand like me? Huh? Of course I do!!!
Well, that was only once so far. Stupidly I went down a ravine and instead of keeping to a straight line, some nice palms made me go sideways and more.... Next thing I knew, the scenery changed and I realised I was in biggg trouble! As it rained the previous night, the slope was real slippery and I had to take my sandals off to get back up, or tried to. Really could not find my direction. You see, if you go into the forested area, the lighting is only about 40% or less even in the day. After quite a while, I gave up trying cos it was no use. There's a strong belief here about jungle spirits keeping people in. Know what I did? I took out a 'protection charm' which was given to me by an 80 year old bomoh (shaman like) and believe it or not the sun suddenly came out and I could see through the tree canopy the way to the top. Shucks, I huffed and puffed barefooted all the way up the slippery slope. When I finally got out, all I could do was to sit on the floor and smoked off a whole cigar to recover. After that time, no plants can tempt me to go off track.

Footnote: The best way to track in the jungle is barefooted as what the Orang Asli do all the time. I learnt it from them many years ago. Sandals are much better than shoes of any kind as they are lighter and when it's muddy, you can get them off. With shoes, the mud collected on the soles will put you off balance and you will have leeches in them. Barefooted, you can see the leeches climbing up and you can easily flick them off! I am so amused by the way people go jungle trekking with long sleeved shirts, long pants and boots. The Orang Asli go with shorts and a tee shirt and barefooted all the time. That's the way I go. It's not being macho, it's the best way.

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Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

Raules

Hi Tog! Thanks for a photo, very beautifully. An interesting story... I probably precisely would lose the way in jungle, this beauty would absorb me. It seems to me, if there is no experience it is better to go with a conductor. Your talisman which was given to you by the shaman has helped you, I so think. Many people prefer such clothes, it seems to me, because in jungle many different mosquitoes and snakes. Probably simply are afraid.

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Tropical agriculturist

Chironex

Tog, your photos and excursion details make me want to start packing for Asia. I think I will bring a pocket GPS just in case. Seems to me that my northwoods experience wouldn't be worth a damn in the jungle. I think I am actually living vicariously through your escapades and forays. Good form! Keep it up! Sonner or late, I will be there. Carry on my friend!

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Scot

Raules

Hi Scot! Do not forget to take with itself in travel of video and a camera, it will be very interesting and rare banana material.

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Tropical agriculturist

harveyc

Tog, I got a new GPS last week (my 4th) and am ready to go on a hike with you, after I drop 30 pounds or so!!!

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lorax

Oh god, it's not just me! How nice to know; I can get lost in my forests even with a GPS. Scot, Howard, they're great for cleared trails but the minute you get under canopy you lose signal and it's just another heavy chunk of plastic. There are better ways of marking where you came from.

And another person who goes barefoot in the woods. It is the best way, although I wear leather ankle gaiters (as do the Shuar) to protect me from the fer-de-lance.

Tog Tan

I am always amazed that people who expect to meet snakes in the jungle always meet them. Not only amazed, very jealous really.....

I have the baddest luck in trying to see/find snakes in the wild. It's only a couple of times in my life I have only managed to collect snakes from the wild. Once I was out collecting pitcher plants, Nepenthes sp. I was so happy to find a nice rosette specimen and suddenlyI realised there's a red colored tail next to it. Since I wasn't out on a snake hunt, I found a twig and lifted it and in it went into one of the thin thrash bags which I keep plants from dehydrating. It was a red Tailed Viper, Trimerusurus poperium, a very venomous snake. And then home it went with me smiling all the way.

Another time I was driving in the jungles in my doorless CJ6 and I saw a racer slithering across the road. I pull the hand brakes, jump out and ran parallel to it and then over took it. Head on, I pressed its head to the ground before securing it. It turned out to be a Striped Tailed Racer, Elaphe radiata. I wish I had more encounters like these though I am always on the look out for them.

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Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

lorax

Actually, Tog, I don't expect to meet them. I take a sensible precaution since there's no antivenom for the FDL (Bothrops atox and B. asper). I generally go into the jungle expecting big cats, and since I'm a quiet person by nature I get what I expect most times. (exception being when I go in with other people. They don't know how to walk, so anything interesting runs away.) I only rarely see the very poisonous snakes; the Corals (Micrurus bocourti, usually) are much more common, although they tend to hide so I don't know that they're there until I step on them or put my stick into a nest.

The best, though, was a deep-jungle trip where we ran across a huge anaconda. This thing was so big that it had a barrel like a horse. I'm glad that we were in the boat and it was in the river, truth be told.

Mark Hall

Tog, do you think you could treat us all to a post with your reptiles you have had/kept. Pictures needed of course.

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Time Flies like an Arrow.....Fruit flies like a Banana.

Tog Tan

Dear Sir Mark,

This would be a big task for me as at that time, digital camera haven't come into existence and all I have are hard copies. So in order to do it, first I need to dig up the pix (seriously tons of it) and then have them scanned. I would get it done when I am not too lazy. However, if the lady who lives next to you tells me to get it done, of course it will be less than a jiffy!

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Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

Mark Hall

I think her Maj likes Snakes...after all she married one

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Time Flies like an Arrow.....Fruit flies like a Banana.

Tog Tan

That's a bloody good one mate!

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Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

harveyc

Hey, Beth, I just picked up this top-model GPS unit Amazon.com: Garmin Oregon 400T 3-Inch Touchscreen Handheld GPS Unit with Preloaded Topographic Maps: Electronics (since it was on sale and had a rebate) which users say is able to pick up signals even when under forest canopy. My old one from 10-15 years ago sure wouldn't do that. I've yet to give it a try, though. Maybe I need to come visit!

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