The tallest tropical tree ever recorded reaches an impressive height of 100.8 meters, which surpasses the length of a football field. This tree, potentially also the tallest flowering plant globally, is found in the rainforests of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, according to researchers from the UK and Malaysia. Appropriately named "Menara," meaning "tower" in Malay, it stands as a remarkable natural wonder.
For those unable to visit the site, scientists have created a 3D model of Menara, available for online exploration. By examining this tree, researchers aim to gain insights into the factors that allow trees to reach such heights and the limitations they might encounter.
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LiDAR + UAV model of Menara by Alexander Shenkin on Sketchfab
Menara belongs to the yellow meranti species (Shorea faguetiana) within the Dipterocarpaceae family, flourishing in Southeast Asia's humid lowland rainforests. This region and the Shorea genus have produced previous record holders for the tallest tropical trees.
The discovery of Menara was made using lidar, a laser-based technology for measuring distances. An aircraft equipped with a lidar device flew over the area, sending laser pulses that bounced back from the forest canopy and ground, creating a detailed topographical map. After analyzing the data, the research team visited Menara in August 2018. They used terrestrial lasers to create high-resolution 3D images and drones to capture aerial photographs. 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 distance from other trees, but the view from the top was breathtaking. Menara's height surpasses that of the previous tallest flowering plant, a eucalyptus tree (Eucalyptus regnans) in Tasmania, which measures 99.6 m. Menara weighs approximately 81,500 kilograms, with just 5% of its mass in its 40 m-wide crown. The remaining 95% is concentrated in its straight trunk. The tree's center of mass is only 0.6 m off its central vertical axis, indicating a high level of symmetry and balance, even though it grows on a slope.
Despite its impressive stature, Menara may be susceptible to wind damage, but its sheltered location in a valley has protected it so far. Challenges like transporting water to the tallest branches may limit how much taller such trees can grow. While taller tropical trees might exist, they are unlikely to be significantly taller than Menara.
Yadvinder Malhi, a professor of ecosystem science at the University of Oxford, remarked that the mechanical constraints posed by wind make it improbable for any new tree to surpass Menara's height by much.
