Philippines announces new species of plants, beetle

DAVAO CITY – The Philippines announced the discovery of new species of orchid, flowering plant, grass fern, and snout beetle in Mount Hamiguitan in Davao Oriental province in the South.

This was confirmed by the Department of Science and Technology or DOST, saying the discovery was part of a research project implemented by the Central Mindanao University in Bukidnon province in collaboration with the Museum of Natural History of the University of the Philippines - Los Baños, the National Museum of the Philippines and Davao Oriental State University. 

The DOST said the project was conceived by its Biodiversity Science and Technology Program of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research. 

In their report, the DOST said the new orchid species is called Dilochia deleoniae belonging to the Orchidaceae family. This endemic species prefers to open in partly shaded habitat and is found in clumps or scattered. 

And the two new species of flowering plants are called Hypericum perryongii Galindon which usually flowers from June until late July and fruits in August; and the Vaccinium hamiguitanense, of the Ericaceae family – which is similar to Vaccinium gitingense, but has smaller leaf blades and inflorescences with fewer flowers. 

The DOST said the new species of grass fern is named Actinostachys minuta Amoroso and Coritico - an epiphyte on the trunk of the tree fern embedded between adventitious roots. 

And the snout beetle is called Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) bronsi. The new species is named after the Mandaya word “bronsi,” due to the beetle’s prominent bronze scale markings on its integument. 

The research team also collected a pygmy grasshopper called Arulenus validispinus, which had not been recorded for more than a century. This species is commonly known as the four-spined pygmy devil. 

Another discovery is the Gymnosiphon syceorosensis (Burmaniaceae), a type of flowering plant that obtains nutrients from mycorrhizal fungi, and is considered as the second new species for the Philippines because only one population of Gymnosiphon syceorosensis has been discovered and no estimation of its abundance or overall distribution has been made. 

The DOST said the 3-year program aims to update, assess, and monitor  biodiversity and evaluate the physico-chemical properties of selected mountain ecosystems in Mindanao for conservation and sustainable development.

Headed by Dr. Victor Amoroso, the assessment of biodiversity was conducted in selected mountain ecosystems such as Mount Hamiguitan, Mount Apo in North Cotabato province, Mount Pantaron Range and Mount Tago Range in Bukidnon province. (Eirene Grace Arcayos)

Like Us on Facebook: The Mindanao Examiner
Like Us on Facebook: The Zamboanga Post
Follow Us on Twitter: Mindanao Examine
Mirror Site: Mindanao Examiner Blog
Digital Archives: Mindanao Examiner Digital
Media Rates: Advertising Rates