Preserving Masungi Georeserve helps protect our rare vines

The rare JC'S Vine, which has only been recorded in four locations in the Philippines and the world, was spotted along the trails in Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal.

According to scientists, the Masungi Georeserve has the most abundant population of the JC'S Vine they observed. As stated by the National Museum of the Philippines in its 2021 Technical Report on the Masungi Georeserve, “Due to its characteristics, karst ecosystems are known to have unique biodiversity, which inhabits endemic flora and fauna species.”

The flowering season of this rare vine in Masungi is between the months of March and May. The first batch has already flowered, and more will bloom next month. It was spotted along the trails, specifically the Discovery Trail and the Legacy Trail inside the Masungi Geopark Project rewilding initiative.

Discovered only in 2015, the JC’S Vine (Strongylodon juangonzalezii) is an endemic species notable for its "plagiotropic dense inflorescence with 27 to 31 flowers per cluster on a lateral branch." When young, the flowers are lilac, but as they age, they progressively turn blue. Its morphological traits were not consistent with other species within the genus.

The name of the genus comes from the Greek words "strongylos," which means "round," and "odontos," which means "toothlike," alluding to the calyx's spherical teeth. This woody vine may grow up to 18 meters long and thrives in a disturbed secondary growth forest at 295 meters in altitude, climbing atop a huge tree. The flowers of JC'S Vine are denser than those of its cousin the Jade Vine, which is found on the five-peso coin, whose flowers are looser and fewer.

Discovered by Annalee S. Hadsall, Michelle D.R. Alejado, Ariel R. Larona, and Ivy Amor F. Lambio, this vine is named after Dr. Juan Carlos Tecson Gonzalez of the University of the Philippines Los Baños–museum of Natural History (UPLB-MNH).

This eye-catching vine is one of the species being threatened by destructive activities and developments inside the georeserve. The Masungi Georeserve Foundation continues to call on decision-makers and the public to help protect the ecologically important landscape.