In April 2024, the description of a new species of pitcher plant from the Philippines (based on a specimen collected in August 2021) was published in Phytotaxa.
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ก๐๐ก๐
Distribution/habitat: Mt. Kampalili (Mindanao, Philippines)
About the species: Named after the place where it was discovered, ๐. ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ญ๐ช grows solely on limestone rock formations in the bonsai forest areas of Mt. Kampalili in Davao de Oro. As this endemic carnivorous plant thrives in limestone crevices and mossy surfaces, some ๐. ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ญ๐ช specimens have pitchers covered with thick moss. With ๐. ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ญ๐ชโs description, the number of confirmed ๐๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด species in Mindanao has increased to 35.
Conservation status: Critically Endangered; it faces threats of poaching and habitat loss, requiring urgent legislative protection and conservation efforts.โMF
Reference: Lagunday, Noel & Yurong, Aimanuelzon & Amoroso, Victor. (2024). ๐๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ญ๐ช (Nepenthaceae), a new species of pitcher plant from the eastern Mindanao biodiversity corridor, Philippines. Phytotaxa. 644. 163-170. 10.11646/phytotaxa.644.2.8.
Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco
Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.