New species of pitcher plant, rare orchid, more box jellyfish species found in PH

New discoveries have highlighted the Philippines' rich biodiversity, including a newly identified pitcher plant species in Palawan, the rediscovery of a rare orchid, and new records of box jellyfish found in local waters.

According to Kuya Kim's report on "24 Oras," Thursday, a new species of pitcher plant was discovered in Palawan, often referred to as the country's "last frontier."

The plant, named Nepenthes megastoma, is found only on the island and is notable for its unusually large peristome, or mouth, which is why it was given the name "megastoma," meaning "large mouth" in Greek.

The species was discovered by a group of experts in a steep and rocky area of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.

Due to the difficulty of accessing the site, the researchers used drones and long-range cameras to document the plant.

Despite being newly identified, Nepenthes megastoma is already considered critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Another recent discovery is the Bulbophyllum placochyllum J.J. Verm, a rare orchid species that was long believed to be extinct in the Philippines.

Recent studies, however, documented existing populations in Mount Malinao in Albay, as well as in South Cotabato and Misamis Oriental in Mindanao.

While the known range of the orchid appears to be expanding, experts have proposed classifying Bulbophyllum placochyllum as vulnerable under IUCN criteria.

Beyond forests and mountains, new discoveries have also been recorded in Philippine waters.

A study by a group of marine researchers documented several species of box jellyfish that were seen and recorded in the country for the first time. These include Alatina alata, Caribea cuboides, Malo, and Morbakka virulenta.

New records of Copula sivickisi and Malo filipina were also documented.

"Ang karamihan sa mga box jellyfish o salabay na naitala sa aming pag-aaral ay maaaring nagtataglay ng kamandag. Mahalagang malaman natin ang eksaktong species upang makatulong sa antivenom para sa box jellyfish. Ang pagdodokumento nito maaaring magpakita kung gaano kalaki ang biodiversity sa loob ng karagatan ng Pilipinas, lalo na ang ating teritoryo ay nasa loob ng tinatawag na Coral Triangle." Dr. Sheldon Rey Boco said. —Carby Rose Basina/MGP, GMA Integrated News