MANILA - Researchers from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and an Australian science institute have discovered a new species of tree in the Philippines.

According to UPLB on Tuesday, based on a published article in journal Telopea last month, professor emeritus and curater Edwino Fernando and Dr. Peter Wilson of the Australian Institute of Botanical Science found a new kind of Tristaniopsis in the Myrtaceae family.

The new species, Tristaniopsis flexuosa, is a small tree reaching three meters tall and is reportedly endemic, or can only be found in the country, particularly in Mt. Redondo, Dinagat Island.

The findings described the tree as having relatively small leaves, with a smooth gray bark. Underneath, the tree has a red-brown composition. It also has distinctly crooked branches, UPLB said.

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The university said flexuosa does not show any clear similarites to other Tristaniopsis trees. Tristaniopsis elliptica, a species from Borneo, has the most similarities with the newly-discovered tree, it said.

Myrtaceae includes makopa, guava, and eucalyptus among others, according to UPLB.

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