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New Blueberry plant found in Mt. Apo Geopark

A NEW micro-endemic tropical blueberry was discovered in Mt. Apo โ€“ the ๐˜๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜น, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Davao revealed on Monday.

In a statement, DENR cited the publication by plant taxonomists led by Filipino researcher Maverick N. Tamayo and Texas-based researcher Peter W. Fritsch in collaboration with researchers from the Central Mindanao University, National Museum of the Philippines, and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington described the new plant.ย 

โ€œThe discovery of ๐˜. ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜นย  is a testament to the crucial role of Mt. Apoโ€™s geodiversity in shaping the endemicity and uniqueness of flora species in the Philippinesโ€™ highest point,โ€ the DENR Facebook post read.

๐˜๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜น or ๐˜. ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜น is a shrub with a minimum height comparable to an average 2-year-old child and an adult human being as maximum.ย 

It grows alongside ๐˜. ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, commonly called wild berries, are consumed by trekkers and mountaineers while traversing Mt. Apoโ€™s summit.ย ย 

According to the publication, ๐˜. ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜น can be distinguished from ๐˜. ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด by having smaller leaves, flower bracts that are easily detached, a shorter flower stalk, a floral cup that looks like an inverted cone, a flower calyx that is broadly triangular in shape, and deep pink or red urn-shaped flowers.

The new plant, however, can only be found in open areas near the summit of Mt. Apo, growing on rhyolite boulders surrounding the sulfur vents.ย 

Due to its limited number, citing guidelines of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the plant is recommended as a critically endangered species.

The department reminded all trekkers and mountaineers to adhere to the โ€œLeave No Traceโ€ principles to preserve the new wonder, including all the species of flora and fauna along the trails.

Mt. Apo Natural Park is a legislated protected area by virtue of RA 9237 of 2003 under the National Integrated Protected Areas System and an aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark.

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๐˜—๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜บ: (๐˜—๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜“๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ด ๐˜—๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ซ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต; ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜“.๐˜ ๐˜๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ ๐˜๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ (๐˜‰๐˜) ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ฑ://๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ.๐˜ฃ๐˜ฉ.๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ.๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ๐˜ถ/)

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