10/08/2026
๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
Another addition to the remarkable diversity of Begonia in the Philippine archipelago!
The ParSU College of Sustainable Communities and Ecosystems (CSCE) โ Caramoan Campus proudly congratulates its faculty and student researchers, particularly Mr. Cyrus Job P. Dela Cruz, MSc, Ms. Judy Ann V. Valiente, and Ms. Karen B. Corre, on the successful publication of their research describing ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, a new endemic species from the karst landscapes of southeastern Luzon, Philippines, published in Taiwania.
The study was made possible through collaborative efforts between researchers from the Philippines and Taiwan, including Mark Angelo C. Bucay (Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University), Danilo N. Tandang (Philippine National Herbarium, National Museum of Natural History), and Kuo-Fang Chung (Research Museum and Herbarium, Academia Sinica).
The specific epithet salog is derived from the Bicolano word meaning โriver,โ referring to the habitat where the species was first documented. Beyond its taxonomic significance, the name emphasizes the ecological importance of rivers and watersheds in the Bicol Region, particularly their role in sustaining specialized habitats and endemic plant diversity. The discovery of ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ therefore reinforces the need for continued protection, conservation, and responsible management of Bicolโs riverine and watershed ecosystems.
With its recognition, ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ becomes the third species described from Camarines Sur, alongside ๐. ๐ค๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ด and ๐. ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ถ๐ญ๐ช๐ฅ๐ช๐ช. This further emphasizes Camarines Sur as an important local centre of diversity for Begonia sect. Baryandra and highlights the need for strengthened conservation efforts, particularly in protected areas and limestone forest ecosystems where these narrowly endemic species occur.
๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ has an extremely restricted known distribution, with an estimated AOO of only 0.067 kmยฒ and approximately 200 mature individuals at its only known location. Although the population appears stable, intense drought is identified as a potential threat. The species is therefore recommended for listing as Critically Endangered (CR: B1+2ab(iii,v)).
Congratulations to our CSCE faculty and student researchers for this significant contribution to Philippine plant taxonomy, biodiversity documentation, and conservation science!
๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐จ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐จโ ๐๐ญ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐๐ค๐ก๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐๐โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ง๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ
Full article: https://taiwania.ntu.edu.tw/abstract/2212
