‘Lost’ Philippine plant blooms again more than 130 years after it was last seen
A rare Philippine plant that was considered lost to science for more than a century is blooming once again in Rizal.
The Masungi Georeserve announced that Exacum loheri, a small endemic plant with bluish-purple flowers, has been discovered along its Discovery Trail.
The flower features delicate, light-purple petals with a bright yellow center.
"Unlike most green plants, it is achlorophyllous, meaning it lacks chlorophyll, and is mycoheterotrophic, relying on relationships with fungi in the soil rather than photosynthesis for its nutrients," the nature preserve detailed.
According to them, the species was first collected by Swiss botanist August Loher in Rizal back in 1895.
"For more than a century, it was known only from those historical collections until it was rediscovered in the limestone forests of Masungi during a field study," they said.
Through the discovery, they were able to provide the first photographs of the living plant and the first verified record of the species in more than 130 years.
"Today, its small bluish-purple flowers are blooming once again along the trail. A reminder that even within a familiar landscape, there can still be species waiting to be noticed, studied, and protected," Masungi said.
"Sometimes, conservation means making sure that a species once lost to science has a place to bloom again," they highlighted.
This isn't the first time that something rare was discovered in the conservation area. Back in 2023, they also discovered fossilized mollusks, one of the rare animal groups in the world, in the limestones.
They are estimated to be around 60 million years old and are likely to be the “first and oldest” of their kind in the Philippines.
Masungi is known for its unique limestone formations, lush forest, and conservation efforts aimed at protecting biodiversity and restoring degraded landscapes in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. The foundation is spearheading the restoration of over 2,700 hectares of degraded watershed areas.