The diversity-present in plants as well as animals - is the product of a very long period of continuous evolution. Over the past 130 million years, most of the Malay Peninsula has remained above the sea level, and has been free of dramatic geological changes such as volcanic activity. Climatic variations have caused contractions and expansions of the areas that would support "tropical" growth. Through this process, new plants and animals have evolved.And now, Taman Negara protects what is arguably the richest diversity of flora and fauna to be found anywhere in the world.

Within this diversity, some groups of plants are more common than others. Of particular note is the family Dipterocarpaceae, members of which make up about one third of all timber-size trees in Malaysia's lowland tropical rain forest like meranti, chengal and keruing. However, no commercial logging has ever been carried out in Taman Negara.