Sightings of blooming rafflesia, a rare endemic parasitic plant in the wilderness of Apayao province, have continued to inspire officials and residents here to protect and preserve the last nature frontier of Cordillera Region.
“Nature really glows differently when protected,” Dorothy Joy Cayaba, officer-in-charge of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office-Calanasan (CENRO-Calanasan), said as she confirmed to the Philippine News Agency the presence of this exotic beauty on Wednesday.
According to Cayaba, the parasitic plant, also known as corpse flower, was sighted on May 21 during a delineation and ground validation activities of the CENRO-Calanasan and the Community Environment and the Provincial Government of Apayao.
“Our team documented this while mapping out the management zones within the Biosphere Reserve of the yApayaos (BRyA) in Calanasan, Apayao,” she said.
Identified as Rafflesia cf.leonardi, this species is known for its fleshy, saucer-sized bloom and distinct odor.
It is classified as endangered and endemic to Luzon, adding to the growing list of significant biodiversity records found in Apayao forest in recent years.
Among those found in Apayao are a cluster of Rafflesia lagascae sighted in Barangay Eva, Calanasan town last year, and the discovery of two other endemic plant species identified as Medinilla calanasan, a new plant species, and Vaccinium kilangensis, a wild shrub discovered in the highlands of Mount Kilang Pass along the border of Apayao and Ilocos Norte.
Eagles have also been spotted in the area in past years.
“As we uncover the hidden natural treasures of this region, our resolve to protect them only grows. Every discovery reinforces our goal to establish Apayao as a premier center for biodiversity conservation, fostering a better understanding of the broad relationship of the communities thereat with these life support systems they gain from protecting their local environment,” Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera Administrative Region regional executive director Engineer Paquito Moreno Jr. said in a statement. (PNA)
