24/10/2025
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ONCE LOST TO SCIENCE, THIS SPECIES IS FOUND AFTER 130 YEARS โค๏ธ
RIZAL PROVINCE โ A plant species last recorded in the 1890s has been rediscovered thriving within the limestone forests of the Masungi Georeserve. The Philippine Journal of Science has published the confirmed finding of Exacum loheri (H. Hara) Klack., a species once considered lost, in a new research note authored by scientists from the University of the Philippines Diliman and the Philippine Normal University.
This marks the first verified record of the species in over 130 years, following its original collection by Swiss botanist August Loher in 1895.
The study, โNotes on the Poorly Known Exacum loheri (H. Hara) Klack. (Gentianaceae) and a Key to the Philippine Species of Exacum,โ presents the first-ever photographs of living E. loheri. The plant was serendipitously rediscovered during a malacological (snail) reconnaissance study within Masungiโs โ600 Stepsโ area in Baras and Tanay, Rizal.
Described as achlorophyllous or mycoheterotrophic, E. loheri lacks chlorophyll and relies entirely on a symbiotic relationship with fungi for its nutrients โ an exceptionally rare adaptation in plants. It was observed growing on humus-rich limestone soils near a freshwater channel in a secondary karst forest, underscoring the ecological complexity and conservation importance of Masungiโs limestone ecosystems.
According to researchers Jayson A. Mansibang, Lawrence Jacob C. Alterado, Aaron Gabriel B. Espinosa, and Erwin M. Blancaflor, Masungi Georeserve currently harbors the only known living population of E. loheri in the wild. โConsidering its restricted distribution, this species is presumed to be extremely rare and probably threatened at present,โ the authors wrote.
Beyond documenting the rediscovery, the paper also provides a comprehensive taxonomic key to all known Philippine species of Exacum, enriching the countryโs botanical research and biodiversity database.
โThe rediscovery of this long-lost species shows why the Vena Groupโs 603-MW wind project has no place in the Masungi Karst Conservation Area. Every year, science reveals more rare and endemic life thriving here โ proof that this landscape is irreplaceable,โ โ Billie Dumaliang, Director for Advocacy, Masungi Georeserve Foundation.
The rediscovery reinforces Masungiโs role as a critical refuge for rare and endemic species within the Sierra Madre range, a landscape increasingly threatened by quarrying, large-scale infrastructure, and other destructive activities.
The Foundation continues to collaborate with scientists, communities, and environmental defenders to safeguard these irreplaceable habitats.
Masungi Georeserve Foundation extends its gratitude to the University of the Philippines Diliman Institute of Biology, Philippine Normal University, and the Malacological Society of Australasia for their invaluable fieldwork and scientific partnership that led to this rediscovery.
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About the Masungi Georeserve Foundation
The Masungi Georeserve Foundation, a 2022 recipient of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Action Campaign Inspire Award, is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving the Masungi karst ecosystem in Baras, Rizal, Philippines. Through the Masungi Geopark Project, the foundation is spearheading the restoration of over 2,700 hectares of degraded watershed areas. Its mission extends to advancing research, education, and sustainable geotourism, safeguarding the regionโs natural heritage for future generations.
For more information, contact: [email protected]
Link to the Philippine Journal of Science Research Note:
https://philjournalsci.dost.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/notes-on-the-poorly-known-Exacum-loheri_.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawNkFdZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFGVmw2VVU4THZOWmh2bjdtAR7OiP-k67citmvxEDWvV-oMoUofjx2M_D2u2Fp9rC10ni0aNowMFGxeSH54UQ_aem_584Msbyq5FwQJ0T4j87nTw&brid=xG6nq-13CDXTZdveGMfz8g
