NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Rare Plant Rediscovered In Mt. Apo After 122 Years
Photo credit: DENR Davao Region
A rare flowering plant that had not been documented in Mount Apo Natural Park for more than a century has been rediscovered, marking another significant milestone in the country's biodiversity conservation efforts.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Davao Region, through the Protected Area Management Office–Mount Apo Natural Park (PAMO-MANP), announced the rediscovery of Ophiorrhiza biflora, a Philippine endemic species last recorded in the area 122 years ago.
The remarkable discovery was made by the PAMO monitoring team during routine wildlife monitoring activities. While retrieving camera traps along a forest trail, the team noticed a tiny flowering plant that stood out despite its small size. After careful examination, the specimen was identified as Ophiorrhiza biflora.
The species was first collected in October 1904 in Mount Apo by American botanist Edwin Bingham Copeland. Since then, it had not been documented in the protected area until its recent rediscovery.
Ophiorrhiza biflora belongs to the Rubiaceae family, which also includes coffee, gardenia, mussaenda, and santan. The species has also been recorded in Benguet and Negros, but the Mount Apo specimen represents the first successful photographic documentation of the plant, a milestone for Philippine botanical research.
According to DENR, the rediscovery confirms the continued survival of a Philippine endemic species that had not been documented in Mount Apo for over a century. The finding also reinforces Mount Apo Natural Park's status as one of the country's important biodiversity hotspots and further strengthens its bid for UNESCO Global Geopark recognition.
The latest discovery follows the documentation of another rare plant species, Agalmyla calelanensis, in 2025. That species was originally recorded in Mount Apo in 1909, making it another important rediscovery in the protected area.
DENR said the two discoveries underscore the enduring richness of Mount Apo's forests and highlight the importance of sustained biodiversity monitoring, scientific research, and habitat protection in conserving the Philippines' unique natural heritage.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Davao Region, through the Protected Area Management Office–Mount Apo Natural Park (PAMO-MANP), announced the rediscovery of Ophiorrhiza biflora, a Philippine endemic species last recorded in the area 122 years ago.
The remarkable discovery was made by the PAMO monitoring team during routine wildlife monitoring activities. While retrieving camera traps along a forest trail, the team noticed a tiny flowering plant that stood out despite its small size. After careful examination, the specimen was identified as Ophiorrhiza biflora.
The species was first collected in October 1904 in Mount Apo by American botanist Edwin Bingham Copeland. Since then, it had not been documented in the protected area until its recent rediscovery.
Ophiorrhiza biflora belongs to the Rubiaceae family, which also includes coffee, gardenia, mussaenda, and santan. The species has also been recorded in Benguet and Negros, but the Mount Apo specimen represents the first successful photographic documentation of the plant, a milestone for Philippine botanical research.
According to DENR, the rediscovery confirms the continued survival of a Philippine endemic species that had not been documented in Mount Apo for over a century. The finding also reinforces Mount Apo Natural Park's status as one of the country's important biodiversity hotspots and further strengthens its bid for UNESCO Global Geopark recognition.
The latest discovery follows the documentation of another rare plant species, Agalmyla calelanensis, in 2025. That species was originally recorded in Mount Apo in 1909, making it another important rediscovery in the protected area.
DENR said the two discoveries underscore the enduring richness of Mount Apo's forests and highlight the importance of sustained biodiversity monitoring, scientific research, and habitat protection in conserving the Philippines' unique natural heritage.
Jun 30, 2026
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