๐๐'๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐!
Did you know that Baybay, Leyte is home to a rare and endemic orchid species? It's called the Dendrobium milaniae, or Milan’s Dendrobium, named in honor of Dr. Paciencia Milan, the first female president of Visayas State University (VSU) and a dedicated ecologist.
Dr. Milan was instrumental in advancing environmental protection at VSU, helping to establish Mount Pangasugan as a protected area and promoting sustainable practices. She is also regarded as one of the proponents of Rainforestation, a reforestation initiative designed to use native Philippine tree species to address the problem of deforestation in Philippine forest landscapes in the early 1990's.
The orchid was first identified in 1996 by German botanists Hans Fessel and Emil Lückel in the rainforests of Mount Pangasugan. It has since been cultivated and can now be mapped in some areas in the country such as in Aurora and Misamis Oriental.
The flowers of this orchid species usually come in shades of white to ivory with a touch of pink, and characterized with a sweet fragrance reminiscent of violets. This species is native to the Philippines and thrives as an epiphyte, or when a plant grows on another plant, usually on a tree, without harming it.
It grows at elevations of around 2,000 feet (610 meters), often clinging to tree trunks near flowing streams. With its vibrant 1.5 cm blooms and water-storing pseudobulbs, this orchid is a testament to nature's resilience and ability to adapt to tough environments.
With over 25,000 known species across the world, this day is meant to honor the Queen of the Plant Kingdom which symbolizes the diversity and beauty of its flowers much like the people who have cultivated the plant throughout history.