ILOILO CITY—A newly discovered plant found only in Capiz and Iloilo provinces may be endangered.
BEGONIA JURGENNEAE
Researchers sounded the alarm for Begonia jurgenneae following its discovery published by scientific journal Taiwania this month.
Dr. Harold O. Buenvenida, Dr. Lillian Jennifer V. Rodriguez, and Mark Arcebal K. Naive recommended the inclusion of Begonia jurgenneae to the red list of threatened species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Since its discovery, only 100 Begonia jurgenneae have been documented so far.
Named after renowned mangrove scientist Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, the Begonia jurgenneae has “lance-shaped leaves, delicate white blooms, and graceful bell-shaped seed capsules” and found in “moist limestone habitats between 60 and 600 meters above sea level.”
The discovery of Begonia jurgenneae was made possible with an endowment from the Capiz Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (CaPENRO) of the Capiz provincial government.
Its discovery was undertaken by Capiz Ecology and Conservation Center (CECC) at the Capiz State University (CAPSU)-Pontevedra Campus, where lead researcher Buenvenida teaches.
Buenvenida noted that the discovery of Begonia jurgenneae is more than just science.
“This plant carries the story of Panay Island’s ancient landscapes, the commitment of Capiz to conservation, and the collaboration that made this work possible,” Buenvenida said.