The majority of ecosystems in West Papua are still intact and untouched; thus, there are vast, diverse species of both animals and plants living in the region famous as the Black Pearl.
Among the many diverse florae scattered throughout the land, the following 5 notable plants are the species you can only see in West Papua.
- Matoa (Pometia Pinnata)
Matoa is a big tree which can reach up to 18 meter tall. The tree only yields its sweet fruit once a year in January or February. You can find its fruit about 3 or 4 months after the flower sprung i.e., from July to October.
Matoa can thrive in a lowland to an altitude of approximately 12.000 meter above the sea level with a high rainfall climate. It is a sturdy tree that can stand both the cold and hot weather. It is also resistant to any insects, especially ones that generally rotten its fruit.
Its fruit is similar to rambutan, longan or lychee that tastes sweet. There are 2 types of Matoa in West Papua namely Matoa Kelapa (green colored fruit skin) and Matoa Papeda (red colored fruit skin). It is the fruit texture that differentiate each type: Matoa Kelapa of which diameter is less than 3cm is chewier than the Papeda one.
- Anggrek Hitam (Black Orchid)
Among the many rare plants that you can only find in West Papua is the notorious Black Orchid. This orchid has a special feature that differentiate it from other kinds of orchids. Its petals are black with bright purple or red color in the middle.
- Buah Merah (Pandanus Conoideus)
https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buah_merah_papua#/media/Berkas:Red_Fruit.jpg
As the name depicts, buah merah has a red color wrapping like a cornhusk wraps its corn. You have to peel it first before eating the fruit. West Papuan called it Kuansu, while Papua New Guinea called it Marita.
There are about 30 different species of Buah Merah, four of which have a very high price in the market. Buah Merah Panjang, which can reach up to 100 cm long and weigh about 7.5 kg s one of the most well-known species West Papuan uses as their herbal remedy.
The plant is known for its betacarotene and antioxidant ingredients, making it an excellent medicinal plant. People use it to prevent cancer, diabetes and boost the healthy immune system. West Papuans usually eat Buah Merah while they are doing the Bakar Batu ceremony.
- Sarang Semut (Myrmecodia pendans)
Best known as the ‘ant-plant’, this plant is commonly used by the Papuans as a medicinal one to treat different kinds of diseases. Tumor, cancer, diarrhea, fever, and gout are among the common illnesses this plant treats. Although this plant is not a parasite, it still needs a host plant as a place to live.
This plant is named the ant-plant is because its stem has a certain kind of room that looks like the ant heap. The ants reside within the branch as a mutual symbiosis with the plant.
- Musa Ingens (Giant Banana Papua)
https://www.tamanpendidikan.com/storage/nhtGxFM5bNhPeQzlkfGtE0TmCuHQ6F0qt5usK9y0.jpeg
This banana from West Papua will have your jaw dropped due to its unusual and enormous size. You can find the tree known as Musa Ingens in the Arfak forest area. Its height is about 25 – 30 meters, while its body diameter can reach about 2 meters.
You will be amazed to learn that the tree has a 5-meter-long leaf and 1.6-meter width. Musa Ingens can thrive in a highland of altitude between 1,000 – 2,000 meters above sea level.
Closing
You will stand in awe to learn more about West Papuan unique and rare flora, especially with its intact and dense forest to explore. Not many researches and studies have been done into these vast ecosystems, so there are still some possibilities to discover new species and more.
Thus, it is time for you to explore the Black Pearl region for an unforgettable adventure, isn’t it? West Papua offers so many beautiful sceneries, unique and rare both animals and plants that you will never find in other places in the world. So, make up your mind to discover this gem in the eastern part of Indonesia.
