The tallest tropical tree ever recorded reaches a powerful height of 100.8 meters, which is higher thanlength of a football pitch. This tree, potentially the tallest flowering plant on the planet, is present in the rainforests of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, in line with researchers from the UK and Malaysia. Appropriately named “Menara,” which implies “tower” in Malay, it’s a unprecedented wonder of nature.
For those unable to go to, scientists have created a 3D model of the Menara, available to explore online. By studying the tree, scientists hope to realize insight into the aspects that allow trees to grow to the heights they do and the constraints they encounter.
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Menara LiDAR + UAV Model By Alexander Shenkin ON Sketchbook
Menara belongs to the yellow meranti species. (Shorea faguetiana) throughout the family Dipterocarpaceae, thriving within the moist lowland rainforests of Southeast Asia. This region and the genus Shorea have produced the previous record holders for tallest tropical trees.
The discovery of Menara was made using lidar, a laser technology for measuring distances. A plane equipped with a lidar device flew over the realm, sending out laser pulses that bounced off the treetops and ground, creating an in depth topographic map. After analyzing the information, the research team visited Menara in August 2018. They used ground-based lasers to create high-resolution 3-D images and drones to take aerial photos. In January 2019, local climber Unding Jami from the Southeast Asia Rainforest Research Partnership climbed the tree to measure its exact height with a tape measure.
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Jami described the climb as terrifying due to the wind and the space from other trees, however the view from the highest was breathtaking. Menara’s height surpasses the previous the tallest flowering planteucalyptus tree (Eucalyptus reigns supreme) in Tasmania, which measures 99.6 m (399 ft). Menara weighs roughly 81,500 kilograms (186,000 lbs), with just 5% of its mass being in its 40-metre (130 ft) crown. The remaining 95% is concentrated in its straight trunk. The tree’s centre of mass is just 0.6 m (2 ft) from its central vertical axis, indicating a high level of symmetry and balance, despite growing on a slope.
Despite its imposing stature, Menara might be at risk of wind damage, but its sheltered location within the valley has protected it to this point. Challenges resembling transporting water to the best branches can limit how tall such trees can grow. While there could also be taller tropical trees, it’s unlikely to be much taller than Menara.
Yadvinder Malhi, professor of ecosystem science on the University of Oxford, noted that mechanical constraints posed by wind make it unlikely that any latest tree would exceed Menara’s height.
