These are forest occuring exclusively on coastal and riverine saline soils subject to sea tidal influnce and can be clearly diffrentiated from peat swamp forest which it typically borders.
About 4% of all forests in the country are mangrove. The mangrove forest is further subdivided into: | | |
 | Bakau | | Nyireh Bunga | | Linggadai | | Nipah | | Nipah Dungun | | Pedada | | Nibong |
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Bakau Forest
This mangrove forest virtually consists entirely of a single species - bakau minyak ( Rhizophora apiculata ). It represents almost 50% of the total mangrove forest in the Temburong Distric. The second species, bakau kurap ( Rhizophora mucronata ) occurs but only very occasionally, especially along the margins of deltaic channels and greeks. |
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Nyireh Bunga Forest
Nyireh bunga ( Xylocarpus granatum ) can occur in association with bakau minyak , or in kargely stands especially on less, frequently inundated land. Large lobster mounds usually covered by piai fern ( acrostichum aureum ) abound. Almost pure stands of nyireh bunga can be found in Selirong and Labu Reserves. |
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Linggadai Forest
Linggadai ( Bruguiera gymnorrhiza ) is the only species of the genus of any significance in the Temburong mangrove forests. In Sarawak, abundant or pure stands of the three other species ( B. caryophylloides, B. parviflora , and B. sexangula ) can be found, but in Brunei these are either absent or occur only occasionally. Pure stands of linggadai can be found in small patches in the Labu Forest Reserve, especially along the drainage of Sungai Sipuyut. |
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Nipah Forest
Pure concentration of the nipah palm ( Nypa fruitcans ) occurs extensively particularly in river banks and riparian zones in the coastal areas. These are found along the lower reaches of the Pendaruan, Temburong, and Labu River in the Temburong District, and along downstream banks of the Tutong and Belait Rivers. |
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Nipah-Dungun Forest
Nipah forest with an overstorey of dungun ( Heritiera globisa ), which can attain massive size. This occurs at the most upper limits of saline influnce particularly along the Temburong and Labu Rivers. Towards the down-river limits of its distribution, buta buta ( Excoecaria agallocha ), linggadai , and some bakau may be present. |
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Pedada Forest
Small gregarious stands of pedada ( Sonneratia caseolaris ) occur on recently deposited silt along the fringes of the Temburong and Labu Rivers. This species is most prominent in Kuala Labu and Temburong. |
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Nibong Forest
The tall spiny palm nibong ( Oncosperma tigillarium ) is a marginal mangrove species, occurring locally in small to medium-sized clumps at the land-ward edge of mangrove forest especially in more upriver localities. |
