FAUNA

 FLORA  FAUNA 

FLORA —— is the plant life occurring in particular
region or time, generally the naturally occurring or
indigenous- native plant life. A treatise on or list of
the plants of an area or period.

FAUNA —— are defined as the animals

characteristic of a particular time period or a
particular location. It refers to the animals.
 The Philippines, a tropical country located in
Southeast Asia, is blessed with beautifully
diverse and colorful water creatures, insects and
unique flowering plants. Here are some of the
most beautiful and unique plants that you’ll find
only in the Philippines.
 Paphiopedilum fowliei

This beautiful and uniquely shaped flower is from Paphiopedilum
fowliei, a species of plant in the Orchidaceae family. It is native to
the beautiful island of Palawan, Philippine’s last frontier. This
species which is threatened by loss of habitat inhabits tropical and
subtropical forests.
 Peltate Nephentes
(Nepenthes
 peltata)
This strange-looking plant is not a
colorful toilet bowl. It is
scientifically called Nepenthes
peltata, a tropical pitcher plant that
can be found only from the upper
slopes of Mount Hamiguitan,
Mindanao in southern Philippines.
The plant is characterized by a
peltate tendril attachment and
conspicuous indumentum.
 Paphiopedilum ciliolare

Another lovely plant that
belongs to the
Orchidaceae family is the
Paphiopedilum ciliolare.
Like the other two unique
plants above, this species
is threatened by loss of
habitat. It also inhabits
tropical and subtropical
forests.
 Medinilla magnifica
Commonly called rose grape

belonging to the family of plants
called Melastomataceae Juss., this
shrub is a stunning flower endemic
to the Philippines. It is usually
found in high altitudes growing up
to 6 feet. The shrub has either
ribbed or winged stem and glossy
green leaves with conspicuously
pale veins. The flowers are
breathtaking growing as a bunch of
small pink clusters attached to large
pink bracts sheltered by its curved
leaves.
Strongylodon elmeri

Endemic in the thick forests of the
country, this specie along with its
more famous cousin Strongylodon
macrobotrys (jade vine) are
arguably the most beautiful
flowers in the world. Strongylodon
elmeri is a perennial climbing
shrub belonging to the family
Fabaceae. The flowers hang in
bunches up to 90 cm and each with
a spectacular clawlike shape
measures up 7.5 cm. Bats usually
pollinate these flowers.
 Amyema incarnatiflora

Belonging to the family of
Lorantacae, this particular
specie calls the mountainous
region of Cabadbaran in
Agusan del Norte as well as
the thick jungles of Cagayan
province as its home. The
bunch of slender pink flowers
is a beauty forming a shape of
a half open parasol.
 Dillenia monantha

This specie is unique to the
Philippines and produces only a
single flower. Monantha after
all is derived from the Greek
words mono (one) and anthos
(flower). The richly hued
yellow flower is a spectacular
sight thanks largely to the
bottom colors that resemble a
spider.
 Xanthostemon fructicosus

Belonging to the family
called Myrtaceae, this specie
can call 3,000 other species as
its close kin; many of them
grow in Australia as well as in
Mediterranean and America.
This particular specie can be
set apart, however, by its
spectacular foliage that comes
in red bunches of individual
actinomorphous (spreading
symmetrically) flowers.
 Plumiera acuminata

Generally found in the tropics, Plumiera
acuminate (sometimes known as
Plumeria rubra and Plumeria acutifolia)
is specie of Frangipani otherwise locally
known as kalachuchi. Frangipanis are
known to have eight (8) species found in
tropical Americas; South and Southeast
Asia and the Pacific Islands. With white
and yellow colors, Plumiera acuminata is
more closely identified with the common
frangipanis. The flowers are very
fragrant and a source of scent for
perfumes. They have no nectars but scent
lure potential pollinators that would go
from flower to flower searching for food
in vain but transferring the pollens in the
process.
Pahiopedilum adductum

A member of the
Orchidaceae family and is
endemic to the Philippines.
Usually found in tropical
moist lowland forest, the
scientific name is derived
from the fact that it belongs
to the family of orchids and
that the shape of its
staminode (vestigial stamen)
is severely adducted that is
severely bent backwards.
 Rafflessia manillana

The scientific name of this
specie is derived from its
genus rafflesia (named after
Sir Stamford Raffles, founder
of Singapore, who first
obtained a specimen) and
from the city of Manila.
Although Rafflesias can be
found in various forests in
southeast Asia, this
particular specie is the
world's largest and endemic.
It has a foul-smelling flower
and is pollinated by carrion
flies.
The Philippines may be a small country compared to other
countries in the world. But despite its size, the Philippines
has a rich biodiversity. In fact, there are many plant and
animals species that are only found here. The Philippines
has among the highest rates of discovery in the world with
sixteen new species of mammals discovered in the last ten
years. Because of this, the rate of endemism for the
Philippines has risen and likely will continue to rise.
 World’s Largest Clam

It is considered to be the
largest clam in the world,
and inside it is the largest
pearl named “The Pearl
of Lao Tzu”. What is
interesting is not the shell,
but the pearl. It weighs 14
pounds and measures 9.5
inches long and 5.5 inches
in diameter. It was valued
$42million, and it is
believed to be 600 years of
age.
 Endangered Dwarf Buffalo

It is a dwarf buffalo which is only
found in the Island Of Palawan. It
looks like a normal water buffalo but
it is quite smaller. People used to call
Mindoro as the “Land of the
Tamaraws”. About 10,000 heads of
these unique pygmy water buffalos
were roaming around the island-
province of Mindoro in the 1900s.
But that was a century ago. Today,
the Tamaraws in the province are in
danger of extinction, and Mindoro
might lose the symbol that it once
proudly introduced to the world.
 Pandaka pygmaea

The dwarf goby (the smallest
freshwater fish) measures 1.2
centimeters or less than half of
an inch, the tiniest known
vertebrate. American
Ichthyologist Albert Herre first
discovered it in Malabon River in
1925. The Philippines is also the
home of sinarapan, the world’s
smallest commercial fish.
Sinarapan, scientifically known
as Mistichthys luzonensis, is a
goby found only in Lakes Bato
and Buhi in Camarines Sur
province.
 Pilandok

South of Palawan, lies the Balabac Island,
home of the world’s smallest hoofed
mammal – the Philippine mouse deer.
Locally known as Pilandok (Tragalus
nigricans), this ruminant stands only about
40 centimeters at the shoulder
level. Contrary to its name, pilandok is not
a member of the deer family. It belongs to
the family Tragulidae in the mammalian
order Artiodactyla. The male species has no
antlers like those of a real deer. Instead, it
uses its large tusk-like canine teeth on its
upper jaw for self-defense; in the same way
a deer uses its antlers.
 Philippine Eagle

One of the world’s largest eagle.
Also known as the monkey-
eating eagle, the endangered
Philippine eagle is one of the
largest in the world. With
scientific name Pithecophaga
jefferyi, the Philippine eagle lives
in the rainforests of Isabela,
Samar, Leyte and
Mindanao. Measuring about one
meter in height, the average
Philippine eagle has a 76-
centimeter highly arched,
powerful bill.
 The Magellan Birdwing

It is a large and striking
Birdwing found in the
Philippines. T.
magellanus shows a blue-green
sheen if viewed from an
oblique angle. Troides
magellanus are rarer compared
to other species, noted for
their use of limited-view
iridescence: the yellow of the
dorsal hind wings modified
by bright blue-green
iridescence which is only seen
when the butterfly is viewed
at a narrow, oblique angle.
 Hog deer

Calamian Islands, north off
Palawan province, keep a
species of deer that cannot
be found elsewhere.
Scientists referred to the
hog deer in the islands as
Calamian deer in order to
distinguish them from
other hog deer in the
world.
 Giant golden-crowned flying fox

The three-layered virgin forest of
Subic Bay and Bataan is home to
the world’s largest bats: the giant
flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) and
the golden crown flying fox
(Pteropus vampyrus). Over the
years, these two species of giant
fruit bats have roamed around the
10,000-hectare Subic Forest
National Protected Area, which is
considered the biggest roosting
site of bats in the world.
 Tarsier

In many respects, the Philippine
tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) is different
from other animals. Considered as
the world’s smallest primate, it
measures only about twelve
centimeters in length. Its two big
eyes cannot move and do not have a
tapetum – the upper protective tissue.
Because of this, the Philippine tarsier
has learned to turn its head 180
degrees. It has also two grooming
claws on each foot and an almost
bald tail extending about nine inches.
 Philippine Crocodile

The saltwater crocodile, which can be
found in the Philippines, is considered
as the world’s largest reptile.
Scientifically known as Crocodylus
porosus, it is different from Mindoro’s
freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus
mindorensis), which is a relatively
smaller species. An adult saltwater
crocodile measures between six to seven
meters (20-23 feet) and weighs about
two to three tons. There were tales that a
27-foot saltwater crocodile was killed
near Lake Taal in Batangas in 1823. It
reportedly took 40 men to bring the
body ashore.