Palawan, officially the Province of Palawan, is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of 14,649.73 km2 (5,656.29 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Puerto Princesa wherein it is geographically grouped but administered independently from the province. Palawan is known as the Philippines' Last Frontier and as the Philippines' Best Island.
Siebenrockiella leytensis is a species of freshwater turtle endemic to the Philippines. It is classified as critically endangered. It is known as the Philippine forest turtle, the Philippine pond turtle, the Palawan turtle, or the Leyte pond turtle. Despite the latter common name, it does not occur in the island of Leyte but is instead native to the Palawan island group. It is locally known as bakoko in Cuyonon.
Cortes, officially the Municipality of Cortes, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 17,924 people.
Begoniaceae is a family of flowering plants with two genera and about 2040 species occurring in the subtropics and tropics of both the New World and Old World. All but one of the species are in the genus Begonia. There have been many recent discoveries of species in the genus Begonia, such as Begonia truncatifolia which is endemic to San Vincente, Palawan. B. truncatifolia is smaller in size than other species of the genus Begonia and this new species is proposed Critically Endangered by standards set by the IUCN. The only other genus in the family, Hillebrandia, is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and has a single species. Phylogenetic work supports Hillebrandia as the sister taxon to the rest of the family. The genus Symbegonia was reduced to a section of Begonia in 2003, as molecular phylogenies had shown it to be derived from within that genus. Members of the genus Begonia are well-known and popular houseplants.
Alastair S. Robinson is a taxonomist and field botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes, for which he is regarded as a world authority. He is currently Manager Biodiversity Services at the National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, where he oversees identification botany services, the Library and Artwork components of the State Botanical Collection, and the botanical journal Muelleria, a peer-reviewed scientific journal on botany published by the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, for which he is Editor in Chief.
Balanophora coralliformis, sometimes known as coral plant, is a flowering plant in the family Balanophoraceae and is known only from Mount Mingan on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Like others in its genus, it is an obligate parasite growing on the roots of rainforest trees, but differs in that its tuber appears above ground and has an elongated, repeatedly branched, coral-like structure. It was first described in 2014 and is known from fewer than 50 plants, but has not as yet been declared endangered.
Nepenthes barcelonae is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Philippine island of Luzon. It is known from a single mountain in the Sierra Madre range of Aurora Province, where it grows in stunted submontane forest.
Begonia balangcodiae is an endemic species of Begonia discovered in Sagubo, Kapangan, Benguet, Philippines. The species was allied to B. esculenta Merr., from which it is distinguished by its cordate leaf base and white tepals, while the latter's leaf base is not cordate and has a vermilion-colored tepals. On the same hand, this species resembles that of B. leucosticta Warburg, differing from the latter on cordate leaf base versus subcordate leaf base, and larger tepals ranging in size from 12 to 18 mm long in pistillate flowers versus the latter's 3–5 mm. Additionally, this species is similar to B. negrosensis Elmer, in that it has lanceolate, glabrous leaf compared to that of latter's obovately oblong and sparsely hairy leaves, and white to greenish tepals, versus that of latter's pinkish tepals.
Begonia beijnenii is a species of flowering plant in the family Begoniaceae, native to the island of Palawan in the Philippines.
Dendrochilum ignisiflorum is a species of orchid endemic in Benguet province in the Philippines.
Begonia cabanillasii is a species of flowering plant in the family Begoniaceae, native to the island of Palawan in the Philippines.
Begonia caramoanensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Begoniaceae, native to the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
Corybas circinatus is a species of flowering plant from the family Orchidaceae endemic to ultramafic habitats on the island of Palawan, Philippines, The endemic helmet orchid was first photographed at Mount Victoria in June 2007. 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 colouration of the floral and vegetative parts is also highly characteristic, and the general lowland to mid-montane ecology of the species is unique amongst the known Philippines Corybas. The research was initiated by the Philippine Taxonomic Initiative, Inc.
Dilochia deleoniae is a species of orchid endemic on Mindanao island in the Philippines. It is the third species of Dilochia known from the Philippines.
The Philippine Taxonomic Initiative (PTI) is a private Philippine research institute and non-profit organization founded in 2018, located in the Philippines.
Danilo Tandang is a Filipino botanist, working in the National Museum of the Philippines, Philippines
Mary Mendum (1945-2004), born Caroline Mary Bates, was a British botanist, taxonomist and botanical illustrator. A number of plant species were described and named by her, as well as others named in memory of her. The Mary Mendum Medal is awarded in her honour for an exceptional outstanding botanical illustration.
Dipankar Borah is an Indian field botanist from Assam.
Begonia noraaunorae is an endemic species of Begonia found in Surigao del Sur, Mindanao Island, Philippines. The species was compared to B. negrosensis Elmer, from which it resembled by its glabrous stems, leaves that are obovately oblong in shape and with sparse hairs, the lamina with glossy surface adaxially and light green abaxially, the staminate flowers having 2 tepals, the pistillate flowers having 5 tepals, and the green ovaries. However, this species differed from B. negrosensis by its larger leaves with scattered light green patches, shorter stems, a much larger, serrated lamina, shape of tepals of staminate flower, and longer ovary with no subtending bracteoles. The species is named after the Filipina actress and National Artist, Nora Aunor. The species is classified under IUCN Red List criteria as Vulnerable.
