Tallest living tropical tree

Several trees in excess of 85 m (278 ft) tall have been recorded in Sabah (a state in Malaysia that occupies the northern part of the island of Borneo), but in 2018, airborne LiDAR detected a potential 100-m-tall (328-ft) contender. On 6 January 2019, the tree - a specimen of yellow meranti (Shorea faguetiana) - was climbed by Unding Jami of the Southeast Asia Rainforest Research Partnership and measured by direct tape-drop to be 98.53 m (323 ft 3.1 in) tall. This is the average of two measurements as is standard practice when a tree is growing on uneven ground: 100.80 m (330 ft 8.5 in) tall to the low point of ground and 96.26 m (315 ft 9.8 in) to the high point of ground.

The tree has been called "Menara", the Malay word for "tower". Menara was first discovered in 2018 using an airborne Light Detection and Ranging Survey. After this, Menara was measured via 3D modelling and, later on 6 January 2019, it was climbed by Unding Jami to be measured by tape drop. Menara is estimated to weigh around 81.5 tonnes (90 US tons), excluding its roots. It is believed that just 5% of its aboveground mass comes from its 40-m-wide (131-ft) crown; the other 95% is comprised of its trunk.

Just ahead of Menara, the world’s tallest hardwood tree/angiosperm overall is currently an individual of Australian mountain ash, or swamp gum (Eucalyptus regnans) known as Centurion, located in Tasmania, Australia. The most recent confirmed tape drop height for Centurion was 99.82 m (327 ft 5.9 in), measured in 2014 by Steve Sillett.

The tallest living tree overall is not an angiosperm but a gymnosperm (vascular plants that lack flowers and fruit): the superlative specimen of Sequoia sempervirens, nicknamed Hyperion, is located in Redwood National Park in California, USA. The coast redwood, a type of conifer known for its lofty stature, was discovered by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor (both USA) on 25 August 2006 and, as of 2019, it stands 116.07 m (380 ft 9.7 in) tall.