Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante

• Executive Director at Philippine Taxonomic Initiative

The taxonomic identity of the incompletely described Amorphophallus longispathaceus Engl. & Gehrm. has been a mystery for almost 109 years. Types were assumed destroyed during WWII, other than a sterile isotype at K, the recent discov-ery of a fertile isotype at NY, here designated the lectotype, has enabled the identity of this species to be clari...

A new species of Amorphophallus is described and illustrated here, from the province of Camarines Norte, Luzon island, the Philippines. The new species, A. caudatus, is morphologically close to A. luzoniensis in having a verruculose spadix, a similar spathe shape, and similar size of the ovary. However, the new species is distinct by its larger lea...

Amorphophallus minimus (Araceae) is herein described and illustrated as a new species from the montane forest of Nueva Ecija, Luzon island, Philippines. A. minimus has an overall resemblance to Amorphophallus palawanensis Bogner and Hett., however, it is easily distinguished by having a club-shaped and colliculate appendix that is contiguous with t...

Ridsdalea philippinensis (Rubiaceae), a new species from the karst forest in El Nido (Palawan, Philippines), is described and illustrated. It is unique among Malesian Ridsdalea species in having a corolla tube that is distinctly inflated at the apex, a character state also displayed by R. sootepensis and R. thailandica from Laos and Thailand. Among...

Homalomena brachygyna, a new species from the riparian forest of San Vicente, Palawan, is herein described. This novel addition to the Homalomena species of the Philippines bridges the gap of more than 100 years since the last described species from the country. It is also the second endemic Homalomena species in the island of Palawan. Descriptions...

A new species of orchid, Bulbophyllum bokodense, is herein described and illustrated from Benguet Province, Luzon Island, Philippines. It closely resembles Bulbophyllum rinkei endemic to New Guinea, but is distinct by having a broader leaf, a shorter inflorescence, an acute petal apex, glabrous auricles, a slightly canaliculate labellum, mid lobe a...

Psychotria pendens from the lowland ultramafic forest of Mt. Victoria, Palawan Island, Philippines is herein described as a new species of Rubiaceae. The new species is morphologically similar to P. rubiginosa (Gitingensis species group) by having monochotomous inflorescence and oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic leaves but is distinguished by its lar...

In documenting the flora of Mt. Malinao, Albay Province, Bicol region, Philippines an unknown Begonia from section Petermannia was discovered in the higher altitudes. Further study of relevant specimens and protologue identified it as Begonia jagori, a species endemic to the Philippines. Begonia jagori was known from a single collection in 1861 and...

Two new species of Bulbophyllum, B . barcelonae and B . pelseri are described here from the Pantabangan‐Carranglan Watershed Forest Reserve, Luzon Island, Philippines. Bulbophyllum barcelonae resembles B . charisae , but differs by having smaller vegetative parts, ovate petals with a rounded apex, and a labellum with two ridges that are strongly an...

A new micro-endemic species of Rhododendron is described and illustrated from botanical expeditions to the Victoria-Anepahan Mountain Range on the island of Palawan. It closely resembles Rhododendron wilkiei but differs in having leaves with laminae that are narrowly elliptic-oblanceolate, have adaxially indistinct venation, and are arranged in 4-8...

Begonia masilig and Begonia akaw, both endemic to Aurora Memorial National Park, Luzon, Philippines, are described as species new to science. Begonia masilig is similar to B. droseroides in its rhizomatous habit and glandular trichomes on the inflorescence, but differs in lamina shape and overall size, and the vestiture of stipule, lamina margin, a...

Homalomena perplexa K.Z.Hein, Vuong, Bao & V.S.Dang from Ba Ria Vung Tau province, Vietnam, is described and illustrated as a species new to science. Description, color plates, discussion of similar taxa, phenology, distribution, and a preliminary conservation status assessment are provided. Homalomena philippinensis Engl. is lectotypified.

A new species of helmet orchid, Corybas hamiguitanensis, is herein described and illustrated. It is the first species of the genus recorded in Mindanao Island, Philippines. This novel species occupies varied climatic zones along different altitudinal gradients ranging from lowland evergreen rainforest up to the mossy forest of Mount Hamiguitan Rang...

We report the occurrence of Habenaria gibsonii var. foetida Blatt. & McCann on Panay Island in the Philippines. Our new records represent the easternmost distribution of this species, and also the first in the Malesian region. We present a full description, photographs, updated distribution map, and notes on allied taxa, ecology, and conservation s...

Ardisia kalimbahin is herein described and illustrated as a new species. It is the latest addition to the richness of Ardisia in the Philippines. It closely resembles A. romanii Elmer but is distinct in having shorter petiole, shorter elliptic leaves, racemose inflorescence, longer and sparsely puberulent pedicels, magenta corolla lobes, basifixed...

Begonia tinuyopensis is described and illustrated as a new species from Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. This new species resembles B. mearnsii by having a decumbent stem, scattered hairs over the entire plant, terminal inflorescence bearing 2 staminate tepals and 5 pistillate tepals. However, Begonia tinuyopensis is distinct by having sparse pilo...

Citation: Tamayo MN, Bustamante RAA, Fritsch PW (2021) Vaccinium exiguum (Ericaceae, Vaccinieae), a new species from the ultramafic summit of Mt. Victoria, Palawan Island, Philippines. PhytoKeys 179: 145-154. https://doi. Abstract Vaccinium exiguum from the ultramafic summit of Mt. Victoria, Palawan Island, Philippines is here described as a new sp...

a new, critically endangered jewel orchid species, Corybas boholensis, is described and illustrated from forest over limestone on Bohol Island, Philippines. This diminutive species, belonging to the C. pictus complex, is distinct in having a deep red flower and a truncate, warty dorsal sepal with 9-11 veins at its widest point near the apex. This i...

Medinilla (Melastomataceae) is a large paleotropical genus with the Philippines as one of its greatest centers of diversity. However, exceptionally few species are recorded from Palawan. Notes on the Medinilla species of Palawan and an identification key are provided. Ten species are recorded, double the previous number. Two species are newly descr...

A new Begonia species, Begonia makuruyot, from B. section Baryandra is described and illustrated from forests over limestone in Surigao del Norte. This distinctive species, which appears to be endemic to the type locality, inhabits shaded limestone walls along the Daywan River at an elevation of 10-50 metres above sea level. Begonia makuruyot is di...

A new species of Begonia sect. Baryandra with 2-locular ovary and cucullate abaxial wing from the town of San Vicente, Palawan is described and illustrated. The new species, B. truncatifolia, is diagnosed against the morphologically similar B. blancii. Both species are endemic to Palawan and are similar in having spathulate leaves, 4-tepaled stamin...

Dendrochilum ignisiflorum is hereby described and illustrated as a new species of orchid endemic to Luzon Island, Philippines. The species resembles D. vanoverberghii by having petiolate leaves, channelled petioles, labellum of the same size, and the erect to suberect incurved column but distinct by the sub-globose or broadly ellipsoid pseudobulb,...

In our study, a distinctive new species of Begonia from an unexplored region of Port Barton, San Vicente, Palawan, B. beijnenii, is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to section Baryandra. It is morphologically most similar to B. hughesii, in having a 3-winged ovary with a cucullate wing and an abortive abaxial locule, tomentose pet...

While assisting El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area in their biodiversity monitoring of El Nido, Palawan, the authors came across a very distinctive and small population of Begonia. Based on careful investigation, the unknown species is confirmed as new to science, and is the latest addition to the species rich section Baryandra. A new s...

Corybas circinatus, a new species of helmet orchid endemic to ultramafic habitats on the island of Palawan, Philippines, is hereby described and illustrated. This species is distinct in bearing a small glandular protuberance at the front of its pedicel, a 4-lobed entire labellum, and a distinctive strongly incurved dorsal sepal. The general coloura...

Begonia caramoanensis from Caramoan, Camarines Sur, Luzon Island is described as a new species endemic to the Philippines. This is the latest addition to the species rich Begonia section Baryandra. It resembles Begonia madulidii but is distinguished by the dark green almost orbicular leaves; extensive inflorescence branching five times; and the gla...

A new species, Dilochia deleoniae Tandang & Galindon (Orchidaceae), from Mindanao Island, Philippines is described and illustrated herein. This species is distinct from other known Philippine Dilochia species by its terrestrial habit and is distinguished from all known Dilochia species by its monopodial inflorescence, rarely branching in two, and a...

Bulbophyllum THOUARS is the largest genus within the Orchidaceae- Family and said to be represented by species of terrestrials, lithophytes and epiphytes that fall within the range of estimates that vary to be about 2000 species (J. J. VERM. et al. 2015). In the Philippines alone, 120 species of Bulbophylllum are recognized (COOTES, 2011) and by fa...

Bulbophyllum sagemuelleri R.Bustamante & Kindler spec. nov. (section Epicrianthes (Blume) Hook.f.) from the island of Negros in the Philippines is described and illustrated. It is the second species of this section reported from the Philippines.