MANILA - A new plant species of mistletoe has been discovered in Davao Oriental, the National Museum of the Philippines announced Saturday in observance of the World Environment Day.

“A new species of mistletoe, Amylotheca cleofei Tandang, Galindon & A.S. Rob, is discovered from Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Davao Oriental, Mindanao,” NMP said in its Facebook post.

The NMP said its researchers, Danilo Tandang and John Michael Galindon of the Botany and National Herbarium Division, made the discovery of the plant species.

It was later published in an international peer-reviewed journal.

“Although the genus has been previously described from the Philippines, taxonomic revisions have transferred all Amylotheca species to its closely allied and more primitive genus, Decaisnina, wholly absenting Amylotheca from the Philippines. Hence, the discovery is also considered as the first genus record in the country," it said.

"Both researchers are certain that there are still many unknown species in our forests just waiting to be discovered,” it added.

The NMP congratulated its researchers of their “significant contribution to the rich biological diversity of the Philippines.”

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