The Philippine Parks & Biodiversity featured pitcher plants as among nature’s super species.
Records show that our country currently has around sixty (60) pitcher plant species (SEE: https://bit.ly/2NCliq0), at least nine (9) of which have been found sprouting in Davao region.
The Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) alone houses five (5) unique or site-endemic pitcher plant species namely N. peltata, N. micramphora, N. justinae, N. alfredoi and N. hamiguitanensis. There are also Mindanao-endemic ones that are sprouting in Mt. Apo- the N. copelandii and N. truncata. The list goes on as there were also sightings of N. mindanaoensis in Davao Occidental, N. nebularum and N. zygon in Davao Oriental.
DENR-XI biodiversity specialist, Clint Michael Cleofe, says that there could be more but are yet to be verified due to limited scientific data.
But being a biodiversity hotspot, the possibilities are high.
Meanwhile, pitcher plants are threatened species. Therefore, illegal collection of it from the wild is prohibited and is punishable under RA 9147 or Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
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- Parent Category: News & Events
- Category: Press Releases
- Published: 26 January 2021