Ellen Phiddian
Cosmos science journalist
Botanists have discovered a species of lipstick vine unknown to science in the Philippines.
They found the plant, and its bright flowers, after days of trekking with machetes through the Barangay Balbalasang rainforest on the island of Luzon.
The trek was part of a joint expedition between University of the Philippines Los Baños and Oxford University researchers, with the help of the local Banao Tribe.
“We were trekking through dense vegetation when suddenly we spotted a luminous white, purple-spotted flower dangling above our heads,” says Dr Chris Thorogood, from Oxford University, UK.
“We suspected immediately that it was new to science. It’s so exciting that beautiful species like this are still there waiting to be described.”
The team has named the plant Aeschynanthus pentatrichomatus: Aeschynanthus is lipstick vines’ genus name, while the species name comes from the 5 (penta) trichomes (trichomatus) growing out of the flowers’ throats.
They’ve published their description in the Nordic Journal of Botany.
“We dedicate this discovery not only to the unique beauty of the Banao forest but also to the Banao People themselves, who, through their care and stewardship, have ensured the conservation of rare species within these precious forests,” says Adriane Tobias, a botanist from the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
“It’s rare to find Aeschynanthus in such an environment, and as young botanists, we were thrilled to discover something so distinct.”
There are about 180 plants in the lipstick vine genus, so-named because of their tube-shaped flowers.
This species, which is set apart by its trichomes and its mottled pink-white colours, has been provisionally assessed as “critically endangered.” The Barangay Balbalasang rainforest, which hosts a number of species found nowhere else, is at risk of destruction from typhoons.
“Many new species remain undocumented in the world’s ‘plant data darkspots’ – up to 15% of the world’s flora in fact,” says Thorogood.
‘”Finding these ‘known unknowns’ is essential for understanding and protecting biodiversity. That’s what makes discoveries such as this one so important for conservation science.”
