A CRITICALLY endangered rattan species that had not been documented in the wild for more than 110 years has been rediscovered in the mountain forests of Maragusan, Davao de Oro.
The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) announced the rediscovery in a post on its official Facebook page Thursday, Sept. 3, saying researchers found the plant during a biodiversity survey of the Mt. Candalaga Range.
The survey brought together researchers from the University of Canterbury and Indigenous forest guards who documented the area’s plant life.
Scientifically known as Calamus vinosus, the native palm is recognizable by its vibrant, wine-colored fruits. Historical botanical records show that the species was last collected in 1912 on Mt. Urdaneta in Agusan del Norte. No sightings have been recorded since.
Palm expert Jiro Adorador of the University of the Philippines Los Baños verified the species from photographs taken during the expedition.
Adorador described the discovery as extraordinary, saying he never expected to see the palm alive in its natural habitat.
The team took 2,271 photographs documenting 236 plant species during the survey. PEF said the researchers also recorded several plant species in Davao de Oro for the first time.
The photographs have been uploaded to Co’s Digital Flora of the Philippines, an open-access database named after the late Leonardo L. Co, a prominent Filipino botanist and plant taxonomist who dedicated his life to documenting the country’s rich flora.
Co died in 2010 at age 57.
PEF said the rediscovery underscores the need to protect the remaining forests of the Mt. Candalaga Range, which provide habitat not only for Calamus vinosus but also for other threatened species, including the critically endangered Philippine eagle and Rafflesia mira.
The discovery also highlights how much remains to be documented in Mindanao’s forests, where biodiversity surveys continue to uncover species that have gone decades without documented sightings. GRS
