October 22, 2025 · Masungi Georeserve shared that the Exacum loheri (H. Hara) Klack was rediscovered in its limestone forests after over a hundred years, marking a historic win for the country’s biodiversityGlobal EssentialsBiodiversityThe variety of life at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. Biodiversity loss is a material financial risk and a prerequisite for nature-positive investment frameworks.Read more in the Glossary →. The Philippine Journal Science confirmed the finding in a research note authored by scientists from the University of the Philippines Diliman and the Philippine Normal University.
After its first discovery in 1895 by Swiss botanist August Loher, the study “Notes on the Poorly Known Exacum loheri (H. Hara) Klack. (Gentianaceae) and a Key to the Philippine Species of Exacum” now presents the first photographs of living E. Ioheri within Masungi’s limestone ecosystem.
According to researchers Jayson A. Mansibang, Lawrence Jacob C. Alterado, Aaron Gabriel B. Espinosa, and Erwin M. Blancaflor, Masungi Georeserve currently houses the only known living population of the species in the wild. “Considering its restricted distribution, this species is presumed to be extremely rare and probably threatened at present,” the authors wrote.
“The rediscovery of this long-lost species shows why the Vena Group’s 603-MW wind project has no place in the Masungi KarstLocal Climate & EcologyKarst landscapeTopography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks like limestone, characterized by sinkholes, caves, and complex subterranean aquifers.Read more in the Glossary → Conservation Area. Every year, science reveals more rare and endemicLocal Climate & EcologyEndemic speciesFlora and fauna restricted to a specific geographic region. For environmental impact assessments and biodiversity offsets, the presence of endemic species elevates the ecological sensitivity of a site, often triggering strict regulatory prohibitions on land conversion and requiring highly localized conservation interventions.Read more in the Glossary → life thriving here—proof that this landscape is irreplaceable,” Billie Dumaliang, Director for Advocacy at Masungi Georeserve Foundation, said.
