Rhaphidophora puberula Engl.
42 x 30 cm
Watercolour on paper
2022
Marbly Puberula
IDR 3.456.789
Rhaphidophora puberula Engl. is a species native to the Malay Peninsula (Pahang, Perak, Selangor), Sumatra (Batu Islands and Mentawai Islands), Nusa Tenggara, and Borneo. It thrives as a climber on rocks or trees (hemiepiphytic) in lowland to mid-elevation areas. In its juvenile stage, its leaves are intact, but as it matures, it develops perforations that give it a unique appearance.
The specimen I painted belongs to a conservation enthusiast who also enjoys collecting ornamental plants. For him, this plant is special and memorable because it became an additional source of income during the pandemic. What should have been a wild green plant mutated into a beautiful white marble-like pattern, making it highly sought after by many plant enthusiasts.
Frankin Sitorus
Frankin Sitorus is a freelance illustrator who specializes in botanical art and natural history. He has had a fondness for interacting with nature since childhood. To him, botanical art is a means of storytelling to convey to people the importance of nature to humanity, how we depend on it, and how crucial it is to preserve it. Through his work advocating conservation, he aims to raise awareness and foster care for the vital biodiversity that is slowly diminishing.
His work has been exhibited in Abelii Fest 2 by the Center for Orangutan Protection, Ragam Flora Indonesia 3 & 4 exhibitions by the Indonesian Society of Botanical Artists, Pekan Seni Botani by Bogor Botanical Gardens, Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition by the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, and Plantae Documentary by the Taiwan Association of Botanical Artists.
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